Children of Light
by Lucifer's Garden
Summary: Discontinued
1. Help Me

DISCLAIMER: I will say this only once- I do NOT own FFX or its characters. It all belongs to the respected creators. So no stealing, or my rabid turtle will eat your souls.

Author's Notes: This is a Yuna/Tidus centred fic and it takes place in Spira. I will mention other characters from FFX, but it will be focusing mainly on Tidus and Yuna. PG13 just because. The first chapter may be longer than the ones in the future, just because I'm trying to fit so much information into it.

Summary: Tidus, a young Yevonite Warrior, is about to uncover something shocking about a newly celebrated Children of Light ceremony, a secret so deadly that it will put him in mortal danger and turn him into an enemy of the temple. How can he put a stop to the evil that has seeped its way into the Order of Yevon? How can he choose between following orders and staying true to his faith, or saving the beautiful and kind-hearted Yuna, the temple's next target?

Enjoy! Review and let me know what you think.

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The drumbeats began; they started off slow and mellow and gradually ascended into a fast-paced passionate rhythm that drowned out every other sound. Stars peered down from the inky black sky as if curious to witness the ceremony taking place below.

Somewhere in the ranks of Yevonite Warriors positioned behind the platform, a young man stood breathlessly in wait as the moment of truth drew nearer. It had been six years since Tidus had last witnessed the Children of Light ceremony back in Zanarkand. Six long years since he stood in the crowds and heard his mother's name called out. Six years since he saw his mother appear on the ceremonial platform to accept her fate as a Child of Light. He remembered the way her blonde hair fell across her shining blue eyes, the look of nervous excitement on her face. Ivory white skin flickering gold in the firelight.

He remembered her eyes landing on him, him alone amidst the multitude of joyous faces, and how she offered him a sad but loving smile. She was reluctant to leave her husband and son, but ecstatic at being chosen to go to the Farplane and live in luxury beyond human imagination. He could see tears in her eyes, but the shine of her teeth in that eager grin had overwhelmed them.

The drumbeat was almost unbearably intense. Tidus licked his lips and felt a drop of sweat snake down between his shoulder blades under his Yevonite Warrior uniform. He itched to brush it away, but he fought the temptation and kept his gaze respectfully ahead. He prayed for a cool ocean breeze to lift up soon, and relieve him of the sweltering tropical heat of Besaid.

"I present to you the Maester of Yevon, Lord Seymour!" a voice shouted out above the drums. Tidus could not see to whom the voice belonged, for his attention flew immediately to the centre of the platform, where a tall gaunt figure stood. He saw a mass of blue tentacle hair and broad sharp shoulders beneath a robe of dark purple. Tidus could not see the Lord Seymour's eyes, but he remembered them from his youth. They were cold and grey, bereft of any gleam of kindness or love.

Lord Seymour raised both his robed arms dramatically, and simultaneously all the drums stopped. He made a ghastly silhouette against the firelight, and the voice emerging from his thin reptilian lips was softly chilling.

"People of Spira, loyal followers of Yevon!" he said theatrically. "Tonight you are to witness the annual Children of Light ceremony, the holiest and most ancient of celebrations in the world. Many of you have seen it before. You have seen the faces of those blessed by the hand of Yevon himself, chosen amongst an entire planet of people to accompany him in his kingdom, the Farplane. Some of you have never seen it before, and to you I say watch carefully. Every ceremony is history in the making, and you are among the most fortunate of all to be here tonight to lay eyes upon it!"

Tidus closed his eyes for a moment took a deep breath. Lord Seymour spoke those very same words to him in the crowd six years ago. Not a single word had been changed.

"I alone hold the power to See for myself what Yevon desires. The gift of the Sight has been bestowed upon me for this occasion and this occasion only. It was revealed to me in a prophetic dream not long ago, and tonight I shall unveil the Child of Light!"

At this, a wave of uproarious cheers erupted from the audience, and Lord Seymour patiently waited for the noise to fade away. He held up his hand regally for silence before continuing.

"My people . . . I give you the chosen one . . . Lady Yuna, daughter of the late High Summoner Braska!"

The noise from the crowd was almost deafening. Feet stomped on the earth, hats were tossed into the night sky, streamers flew through the air, flowers and small gifts were thrown to the platform, and even small children were flung up in the air only to be caught once more by their delighted parents.

A new figure appeared, coming forward from the doors of the temple behind the rows of Yevonite Warriors. Tidus did not bother to stay reserved as he craned his neck to lay eyes on the chosen one.

She beautiful. Not beautiful in the obvious way, although she was pleasant to the eyes, but beautiful with her subtle charms and swan-like grace. Beautiful because of the way her footsteps were silent on the ground, coy like the tread of a wildcat in the night. Beautiful because of the way her bicoloured eyes reflected all the admiring faces staring up at her. She was beautiful because of the gentle sway of her hips, the way her hair gleamed in the firelight, and mostly because of the aura of quiet strength that radiated from her elegant body. She was humbly seductive, so naturally alluring. Tidus had never seen her before, although he had heard her name spoken occasionally during his time on the island. Perhaps she spent all her time in the temple studying the arts of being a priestess, as many village girls often did.

Her father, the late High Summoner Braska, had passed away ten years ago after finally defeating the demon monster Sin for all eternity. It was because of Sin's defeat that the Children of Light ceremony even existed, for it was then that Yevon had made his desire to have his mortal children with him in the Farplane known. Braska was the greatest summoner ever known in Spira, and because of his sacrifice, the world now lived in peace without fear of destruction.

Tidus gaped at her, and all his training on how to be stone-like in exterior seemed to have vanished from memory. As she walked past, he caught a glimpse of her expression and was instantly surprised to see such sadness there.

How could she, the chosen one, the Child of Light, hold such misery in her eyes as she made her way to the platform? He watched her carefully until she came to stand in front of the Yevonite Warriors, her back turned to them. He could tell by the looks on the people's faces in the audience that some were also confused by her despairing appearance. There was no shine of happiness in her eye, no spring in her step.

"Lady Yuna, you have been chosen. The decision is beyond your control, as Yevon himself has commanded it. You must accept your fate as one of His beloved, or face exile and excommunication from the temple. Do you understand?" Lord Seymour asked gravely, taking bother her delicate feminine hands within his own large pale ones. Tidus saw her hesitate, and swallow thickly.

". . . Yes," she said at last, in a very small voice. "I accept my fate, Lord Seymour. I am honoured to be a Child of Light."

Tidus felt a shiver go down his spine. His mother had quoted those exact same words, but her voice had been happy. Lady Yuna's tone was morose and subdued.

"Face your people for the last time, Lady Yuna. Tonight, you go to meet your destiny," Lord Seymour said with a mysterious air, gently turning her around to face the audience once more. "Now, go and prepare for your journey into a new era of life."

He let go of Yuna's hands, and dropped to one knee, bowing his head before her. On cue, the audience did the same thing, and the league of Yevonite Warriors followed suit. Tidus chanced a quick look back at her from his kneeling position, as she stood tall among a crowd of lowered faces. She turned around in a circle to get a look at everyone, and her mismatched eyes fell to Tidus.

He blinked in surprise, and then realized that he was the only one looking at straight at her. Everyone else was bowing before her, their eyes lowered to the ground. She stared at him, and though he tried, he could not bring himself to look away. He offered her a tentative smile, apologetically, and she gave him a trembling one in return, her eyes never leaving his. Something in her expression told Tidus that her smile was not heartfelt, though very pretty. He felt a strange wave of curiosity and puzzlement. What could possibly be troubling this girl? Should she not be the happiest person alive tonight?

It was too late for him to gaze at her any longer, for she suddenly left the platform and made her way back to the temple, where two unseen guards pushed the doors closed behind her.

Only when the sound of the doors being closed was heard did Lord Seymour rise again and bid everyone else to do so.

"The chosen one will never return, my friends," he said, his voice echoing in the silence of the village square. "She has left you forever. Do not grieve for her, nor envy her. Feel only joy and happiness for her fortune, and know that someday you yourself may be the next beloved child of Yevon. Go back to your homes and pray for Lady Yuna's safe journey. Good evening, and Yevon bless you all."

He bowed once to the crowd, and then swiftly left the platform to finish off the private ceremonial business he had to attend to as the Maester of Yevon.

"Yevonite Warriors, fall out!" a harsh voice called out. Tidus and the other warriors instantly relaxed, knowing that their duties were done for the night. Tidus bid his fellow soldiers good night and began to head out of the main village square when his best friend Wakka caught up with him.

"Some ceremony, ya?" the giant Besaidian native chuckled, clapping his big hand on Tidus' broad shoulder. "Good idea to send the Lady Yuna to the Farplane, seein' as how her dad's the one who defeated Sin. Smart move on Lord Seymour's part, eh?"

Wakka was a large specimen of a man. He sported bizarre red hair, bulging muscles, kind russet eyes, and a huge smile that was practically infectious. He had been Tidus' best friend since early childhood, and Tidus had even been forced to live with Wakka and his family after his mother had been chosen and his father disappeared.

"Huh, no kidding. I suppose her looks had nothing to do with it?" Tidus grunted, feeling a stab of resentment towards the Maester. What right did that man have to claim he knew the will of Yevon? What right did he have to take away Tidus' mother, or anyone who meant something to anyone for that matter?

"Oh, shut it, ya great blasphemer. Have a liddle faith, ya?" Wakka teased. Tidus grinned at him and shook his head.

"Did you see the look on her face?" he inquired suddenly. "She didn't look happy at all. What do you think could be wrong with her?"

"I didn't see," Wakka shrugged. "Maybe she was just nervous about bein' up in front of a big crowd."

"Yeah, maybe," Tidus mumbled, unconvinced. He had seen no fear in her eyes, only sadness. It wasn't right . . . he knew something was definitely wrong, but what business was it of his?

Just then, the two young men were interrupted by Lieutenant Gatta, who came panting up to them as if he had been running at top speed.

"General Luzzu wants to see you in his office, Private," he gasped, wheezing in an unprofessional manner. "Now."

Tidus nodded and saluted, and then waved goodbye to Wakka, who stifled a yawn and waved tiredly. The blonde-haired blue-eyed Yevonite Warrior jogged back up to the temple, which was now humming with the prayers of monks preparing to Send the Lady Yuna to the Farplane.

He pushed the doors opened and trotted through the main hall that was crowded with monks and priests praying heatedly, and headed towards a small chamber door to the right of a large statue of Lord Braska.

"You wanted to see me, General?" Tidus asked cautiously from the doorway. General Luzzu was sitting idly behind his large wooden desk, his booted feet propped up on the surface and leaning back precariously in his chair. He bolted upright when Tidus walked in, looking momentarily flustered at the sudden intrusion before regaining his composure.

"Uh, er, yes! Yes, Private, come in. Please," he faltered, after clearing his throat in a business-like fashion. Tidus bowed and walked into the cramped office, and stood to attention in front of the desk.

"I'll be brief, as it is almost time for Lady Yuna's final Sending," Luzzu said curtly. "It is tradition that the chosen one be accompanied by a Yevonite Warrior, as you well know, and I need a man to go to her room to receive her for the ceremony. I'm ordering you for the task, Private, and I know you'll do a bang-up job. Don't disappoint me."

With that, Luzzu kicked back and placed his feet back up on the desk and rested his hands behind his head lazily. It was obviously a dismissal.

Tidus blinked at him for a long time, processing the information in his head. It was a prestigious task, one usually reserved for elderly warriors.

"May I ask why, sir?" he requested cautiously.

The general raised an eyebrow at him. "Lady Yuna requested your presence. That is all, Private. Dismissed."

"Sir, yes sir!" Tidus replied, saluting to his superior. He then spun around on his heal and hurried out the door to the Preparation Room, a chamber that had been built exclusively for this ceremony. It was difficult to repress the slightly pleased look on his face at the news. The lady herself had asked for him? Wait until Wakka heard about this.

The hallway that led to the room was long, dark, narrow, and secluded, for it was shut off from the rest of the temple. Tidus swallowed nervously and began to make his way down the corridor, relying on light from the moon cascading in from the skylight to guide his steps. What would he find in the Preparation Room? What would he say to Lady Yuna when he received her?

Before he even realized it, the door loomed up before him, the wood gleaming in the moonlight from the sky window above. Tidus took a deep breath and rapped sharply on the door twice.

There was a long pause. Then . . .

"Come in."

Such a sad, lonely voice.

Tidus opened the door and peered in warily, unsure of what to do or say. It was a small circular room with only one large window overlooking the sea, lit only by candles and moonlight. Lady Yuna stood in the ceremonial garb traditional to the chosen women, next to a large mirror across the room from the door. Tidus gaped at her for a moment.

Her bicoloured eyes glistened with unshed tears, and her expression was that of defeat. She wore a pale white dress that flowed freely around her graceful legs while hugging her upper body. Her arms and feet were bare, and she wore no jewels.

"Er . . . good evening, my lady," he stammered, confused yet again by her despondent look. "Are you ready?"

Yuna gazed at him with unreadable eyes. He blinked and shifted the weight on his feet uncomfortably. He opened his mouth to speak again, to prompt her for an answer, when she suddenly hurried across the room and grabbed his arm in her delicate hands.

"Help me," she whispered desperately, gripping his bicep. Tidus stared down at her questioningly, not at all minding how close she stood to him, how tightly she held onto him.

"I-I'm sorry, Lady Yuna?" he asked.

"Help me," she whispered again. "I beg you."

"Uhhh . . ."

"It's a lie, all of it! The ceremony is a sham!" she blurted, her tears spilling over.

"Lady Yuna, I don't understa-"

"They're going to kill me unless I get out of here," Yuna interrupted, releasing him and beginning to pace around in a frantic circle. "That's the whole point of the ceremony. It's a sacrificial rite, that's what it is!"

Tidus blinked at her stupidly. What on Spira was she talking about?

Sensing his confusion, Yuna paused and took a deep breath to calm herself.

"I cannot tell you everything right now, there's not enough . . . look, all I can say is that Lord Seymour plans to kill me before the sun rises, so that Sin can return with even more power to destroy than ever. Do you understand?" she said slowly, looking up at him with wide, anxious eyes.

Tidus opened and closed his mouth repeatedly. "Sin? No, that's . . . that isn't possible. What do you mean the Maester is going to kill you?"

"I haven't the time to explain it all!" she said with exasperation, running her fingers through her silken hair. "I swear, if you get me out of here, I will answer all of your questions. But please, you must decide now!"

"My Lady, I have a job to do. I don't know where you got these strange ideas from, but I can't let you ruin the ceremony for the rest of Spira. Now please come with me to the priests for the Final Sending!" Tidus begged. He didn't want to believe her. He couldn't. It was heresy, plain and simple!

"No!" Yuna hissed, backing away from him. He took a step towards her, but she spun around and grabbed something from the table nearby. When she faced him again, there was a dagger aimed at him.

"Please, let's not do this. If you put the sword down, we can both-"

"I won't go!" she cried, taking a swing at him. He saw the move coming and dodged it easily. From the way she held the dagger, and her clumsy attack, he could tell that she was inexperienced.

"Do you really want to be exiled and excommunicated when you have a chance to be happier than you can ever imagine?" he inquired, pacing around her like a predator circling its prey.

"At least I would have my life," she shot back, keeping her mismatched eyes on him suspiciously. "And I already told you, the ceremony is a lie! If you help me, I will tell you-"

"I don't know what game your playing at, but if I don't hand you over you to Lord Seymour in time I might lose my place as a Yevonite Warrior. I am begging you, my lady, put down the sword and come with me to the Sending room!" Tidus implored.

"Your mother was a chosen one, wasn't she?"

Tidus froze.

"What did you say?" he asked in a low voice. Yuna slowly lowered the point of the blade, but held it firmly in her hands.

"Six years ago, your mother was chosen. Do you not wish to know what happened to her?" Sensing that she had struck a chord with him, Yuna obviously wasn't going to drop the subject.

"She was a chosen one, and is now living in the Farplane. End of story," Tidus said darkly.

"That's not true! The temple has betrayed all of Spira, and if you help me escape, I promise you I will tell you the whole story. Please . . . you must believe me," Yuna pleaded. For a moment, Tidus was dumbstruck by the sincerity in her eyes.

His head was swimming with new thoughts and emotions. It couldn't be true. Why would the temple lie to all of Spira? Why would they want to kill the Lady Yuna?

"Please . . ." she whispered urgently, gently lowering the blade. "I am no liar. I swear on my father's soul that I speak the truth."

There was a loud sharp knock on the door. Both Tidus and Yuna jumped at the sound and whirled around to face the wooden door, where a voice called out,

"My Lady Yuna? Private Tidus? Are you both ready yet? The priests and the Lord Seymour are waiting."

Neither of them could respond. Tidus' mind was racing with any possible answer he could give, and Yuna stood motionless with wide, frightened eyes. Slowly the Yevonite Warrior turned to face her. She stared back, and silently mouthed the words,

'Help me'.

"Lady Yuna? Is everything all right?" the voice asked, clearly puzzled. Tidus swallowed thickly and turned his back to Yuna.

"The Lady and I are almost ready, Private Datto," he called back reassuringly. He threw a glance over his shoulder at the girl behind him, and muttered quietly, "Take a sack of gil that can be easily concealed. Keep the dagger, and bring a change of clothes if you must."

He heard her sigh a breath of relief, and she moved to carry out his command. Tidus scratched the back of his neck in agitation, wondering what the hell he was doing. How could be agree to help some silly heretic? This was bad, this was a mistake, it had to be . . .

"I've lost my mind," he whispered out loud.

"Private Tidus . . ." Datto called, beginning to sound annoyed. "I must ask you to hurry. The priests are getting impatient."

"One more minute, Datto," Tidus snapped, and began looking around for a way to sneak out of the room. He spotted the window and began taking a step towards it, when there was a loud bang from the door.

"Tidus, I don't what's going on, but if you don't open this door right away, I'll-"

"Hold on, will you?" Tidus growled, making his way to the window. Yuna stood nearby with her bag, ready at any moment to do as he told her. She glanced nervously at the door and unconsciously moved closer to Tidus as if for protection.

Another bang.

"That's it, I'm coming in!" Datto yelled.

"No!" Yuna gasped, backing up against the wall. The door burst open and Datto strode in, sword out at the ready. Tidus whirled around to face his fellow Yevonite Warrior.

"What's going on here?" Datto demanded, slowly advancing. "My lady, has he been disrespecting you?"

Tidus moved so swiftly that Datto didn't even have time to blink before he had sidestepped the blade and delivered a sharp punch right between the man's eyes. Datto went limp and sagged to the floor, his blade clanging loudly on the flagstones.

"Let's go," Tidus said grimly, grabbing Yuna by the wrist.

He headed towards the window, and without a moment's hesitation, he hefted Yuna up into his arms and threw himself through the glass and out into the night.


	2. Conspiracy Theory

Yuna buried her face in the young man's shoulder to shield her eyes from the shards of glass. Their shadowed bodies fell soundlessly from the broken window, the wind whistling in their ears. She had not been expecting his drastic move, but she knew better than to protest. This man was risking everything in trying to help her. She felt her pulse racing wildly as the two of them hit the soft grass, and she rolled to a gradual stop next to him.

In a flash he was up on his feet and yanked her up by her arms.

"Come on," he whispered, leading her into the surrounding jungle. Yuna swallowed and gripped his hand tightly, throwing fearful glances over her shoulder. The adrenaline coursing through her was almost overwhelming, but her heart ached with guilt. She knew how much danger this young man had put himself in for her sake, without even knowing why. She wanted to apologize and explain everything to him, but now was not the time. Soon that other soldier would come to his senses and report that the two of them had run off.

They would not stop hunting her until Seymour had her again.

'My father did not sacrifice himself for me only to have me die for a monster,' she thought grimly, pumping her legs skilfully to keep up with her fast-paced companion.

She had been surprised to see him staring at her during the ceremony. She had even felt his eyes on her back when she was not facing him. There was no denying that he was beautiful to behold. Full sensuous lips, proud nose, clear blue eyes, dark gold hair . . . all of it designed to weaken knees, no doubt. Yuna caught herself glancing down briefly to inspect his toned bronze body. He was a trained athlete, all right. She could detect the rippling muscles on his graceful form, and she felt a wave of certainty descend on her. For some reason, she knew she was safe with him.

No, begged. She had begged him to help her. Again came the feeling of guilt. How could she place so much responsibility on an innocent stranger? What had he done to deserve this task? She had no right do put him through such a trial . . . and yet he had accepted, after some hesitation. He had agreed to it. No doubt he was only interested in hearing about his mother, but some instinct told Yuna that she had stirred something inside of him. Perhaps she really had convinced him of the temple's foul play.

The gloom of the tropical forest blurred by as the two of them ran silently together. Yuna dodged low-hanging vines and branches, leaping over fallen logs or stones in her way. Tidus did the same next to her, moving with as much agility as any trained soldier could, but careful to match his speed with hers. The smell of moist vegetation and fruit was sweet, and the air was humid and warm. Insects clicked and chirruped here and there. Had the situation not been so demanding, Yuna would have enjoyed a peaceful stroll in this area.

"Where are we going?" she panted, ducking her head as a bat darted past. They had been running for over three minutes now. He pulled her off down a narrow path, so that she was forced to move closer to him to avoid crashing into the line of trees. She could feel this heat warming the flesh on her arm.

"My house first," he replied shortly, sounding faintly out of breath as well, but only slightly. "I have preparations to make."

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They reached the residential area moments later. They stopped just on the edge of the forest, making sure no one was outside to see them. Then, keeping to the shadows, Tidus pulled Yuna around a few circular huts until they reached a small one at the very end. Once or twice they had to stop and hide while someone ambled past, oblivious to the two fugitives nearby.

Yuna frowned. Yes, the two of them were fugitives now; at least they would be when the word spread that she had escaped with the help of a Yevonite Warrior.

Tidus hurried into his hut, with Yuna following closely behind, and immediately walked into the small kitchen. He pulled a sack out from under the counter and began filling it with rations, moving swiftly. When it was stuffed to its full capacity, he placed it on the floor near the door and strode into the back room. Yuna stopped in the middle of the entrance and looked around. It was a modest abode, kept neat and plain. There were very few personal touches made, and there were even fewer luxuries to be seen. She guessed Tidus probably had to get water from the village pump, rather than have it provided already in the house.

Minutes later, Tidus emerged with a magnificent blue sword strapped to his back and a new outfit to camouflage his order. He wore a dark brown leather jerkin and brown traveling pants, as well as black boots.

Her eyes fell to what lay in his hands. He tossed something light to her from across the room and she caught it deftly.

"It was my mother's," he said coldly. "I have no use for it. You might as well wear it now and disguise yourself."

Yuna looked down in her hands and saw a dark red travelling dress, slightly worn and faded, but clean and in good condition. Nodding, she began to walk towards back room. She froze when she came next to him and looked up at him solemnly.

"Before I forget . . . I want to thank you. I don't quite know how deep you've gotten yourself into this mess, but I can't tell you how much I appreciate it," she said, resting her hand on his shoulder. He stared at her with an unreadable expression. She saw his eyes flicker down and then up, inspecting her briefly.

"I'll give you as much gil as you desire when all of this is over," she offered tentatively. He shrugged and looked away.

"I have no need for gil, my lady," he said simply. Yuna thought for a moment.

"Well, I insist that you take a horse, or perhaps cattle, from-"

"You really don't have to, Lady Yuna," he interrupted.

She licked her lips and lowered her gaze. Then, when she was moderately satisfied that she would not regret it later, she slowly raised her hands and began to untie the strings that held her bodice closed. Her eyes were still down on the ground, and her fingers trembled slightly.

"Then . . . perhaps there is another way I can reward you," she said quietly, lifting her gaze back to his. Those azure eyes locked onto hers intensely as the material slowly parted more and more.

Part of her was terrified. Did she truly want to become a mere plaything in bed for a young man she didn't even know? Yet, on the other hand . . . a part of her wanted him, thirsted for him. He was the first truly handsome man she had ever seen, when she was old enough to feel real longing for such a thing. He made her feel safe, yet he had spoken only a few words to her in the short time she had met him.

Tidus took a step towards her, so that he was less than an arm's length away from her. His hand came up and cupped the side of her face gently, and he stared at her keenly, as if searching her thoughts. His face came closer to his and Yuna watched through half-closed lids as his breath became warm on her lips.

He stopped, then, when Yuna felt that she could take no more of this teasing agony. He dropped his hand from her face and backed away a few feet.

"Change quickly," he muttered, looking slightly flustered with himself. "We don't have much time before Datto wakes up and raises the alarm."

Yuna suddenly felt very foolish. She sighed quietly through her nostrils and pulled the strings tight to close her gown. Then she brushed past the uncomfortable man and into the back room to change clothes.

When she came out a few minutes later, dressed in her new outfit, Tidus was standing rigidly nearby. She paused and stared at him questioningly. His back was turned to her, and he seemed to be staring at something across the room. Her gaze fell to the front door, and gasped.

A massive shadow stood within the doorframe, blocking the only escape. Yuna could vaguely make out a shade of orange red in the silhouette. She went and stood next to Tidus, clutching his arm.

"Wakka . . ." Tidus murmured. The shape moved forward into the hut, and from the candle on the table, Yuna saw the second Yevonite Warrior staring at Tidus as if he was some sort of demon ghost.

"Tidus, brudda . . . is it true what's happenin'?" the giant man breathed. "Did ya really kidnap the lady Yuna?"

So Datto had already awakened and spread the news.

"Sir Wakka," Yuna cut in, recognizing the their apparent friendship. "I can assure you this is not his fault. I beg you not to blame him for what I have caused."

"My lady . . . with all due respect . . . are you outta your freakin' mind?" Wakka demanded, a look of panic growing on his features.

"Wakka, we don't have time for this," Tidus said urgently. "Please trust me on this one. I don't care what you tell the temple when they come looking for me, but you have to believe me when I say we're doing the right thing."

Yuna glanced sharply at him, and tried to hide a small pleased smile. She liked the fact that he had so much faith in her when she hadn't even explained anything. Wakka, still not looking completely convinced, shuffled uncomfortably from foot to foot.

"Whatever you do, don't get yourself involved in this. You're my best friend, and I don't want you getting hurt," Tidus continued, moving towards his large friend. "The warriors know you're close to me. Pretend you haven't seen us, okay? Please?"

Wakka hesitated for a long time. He looked from Tidus to Yuna and back again, and then licked his lips.

"All right," he sighed, slapping his huge hand on his friend's shoulder. "I trust you. I'll cover for you, ya? Just be careful, little brudda. Whatever it is you two are plannin', I know it's for the best. Good luck, ya hear?" he advised.

Tidus grinned and embraced him fondly, and then moved past him. He reached down to grab their supplies and jogged out the door. Yuna curtseyed gratefully to Wakka and followed Tidus out of the hut.

Again, the two of them were forced to cut through the jungles.

"We need to get to the docks," Tidus whispered to her as they jogged through the thick mass of trees. "I doubt they'll let us on after this whole incident, so we have to sneak aboard without anyone seeing us. Once we get on, I want you to tell me everything. If I buy your story, I'll take you wherever it is you need to go."

"And if you don't?" Yuna queried, leaping gracefully over a fallen log. Tidus was silent for a moment.

"Then I drag you back here for the final Sending, whether you like it or not," he said darkly. Yuna chose not to reply.

It would be dawn in less than two hours. Tidus and Yuna finally reached the shore, where the harbour was located. Keeping themselves hidden just behind the tree line, they made their way around to the back of the port, where the cargo was usually loaded.

"In there," Yuna murmured, tapping Tidus' arm and pointing to a large wooden crate. He stared at it for a moment, and then walked over to investigate it. Yuna kept watch, making sure no one was around to see them. A cool ocean breeze lifted off the waves and toyed with her hair and clothes, filling her lungs with salty air. She closed her eyes briefly, revelling in the feeling. How long would it be before she would be safe enough to enjoy such simple pleasures as this? How long would it be for Tidus?

Tidus lifted up the lid carefully and peered inside the wooden crate. Yuna glanced down over his shoulder and saw that the box contained only some material that was to be shipped off to a tailor. They transferred as much as they could into some other crates so that they would have room before Tidus nodded with approval and climbed inside. He moved over to make sure there was enough room for Yuna's body as well. She slid down and nestled next to him, bowing her head as he closed the lid over them.

"They'll be loading the cargo soon," Tidus whispered, his breath heating the side of Yuna's neck.

She nodded once and tried to focus on something other than the fact that their bodies were dangerously close to each other. His inner thigh was pressed right against the small of her back, and his arms could not be placed anywhere other than slightly around her, for there was no room at his sides or behind him.

"Gabba, come help me with this box," a rough voice barked outside. Tidus and Yuna both stiffened and held their breaths as the cargo gave a violent lurch.

"Yikes, when did this thing get so heavy? You there, boy, come lend us a hand, ya?" a second voice commanded. Footsteps approached, and a new set of hands gripped the box. The sudden motion caused Yuna to loose her balance and fall against Tidus' broad chest.

On instinct, he used one arm to grab her and hold her, keeping her still against him.

"Don't move," he breathed, his lips pressed right against her ear. Yuna felt dizzy being so close to him, but she didn't even dare to respond. She had a horrible image of the three men suddenly dropping the crate and having the lid pop off to reveal the two of them crouching inside.

"Did ya hear about the lady Yuna and dat Yevonite Warrior, Tidus?" the third young adolescent voice grunted.

"Ya, didn't he kidnap her or somethin'?" the first voice wheezed. The crate tilted, signalling that they were being carried up a ramp. Yuna's heart leapt into her throat and she felt Tidus' arm tighten around her. They were on the ship!

"Nah, I heard dey was havin' an affair and they ran off together," the second voice said with a pant of exertion. "Yevon's beard, this crate is doin' poorly on my back, ya?"

"Will you three quit gossipin' and get the rest of the cargo loaded?" a fourth domineering voice said sharply. The other three muttered quick 'Yes sir' and dropped the crate roughly. Yuna bit back a gasp of pain as the box thudded sharply on the floor, making her bump her head against the side. Tidus shushed her softly, and the two of them waited breathlessly as the loaders moved down the ramp to get the other boxes.

An immense amount of time passed before a heavy silence fell over the airship's cargo chamber. Slowly, Tidus pushed the lid open and peeked around in the darkness. The door was closed, outside they could hear the anchors being lifted.

"Okay . . . I think we're in the clear now," the young man said to her, still careful to keep his voice down. He climbed out and graciously assisted Yuna out of the crate. The two of them stretched and arched their backs, ridding themselves of muscle cramps.

"Now," Tidus said abruptly, sitting down cross-legged in the dark. "I want some answers."

Yuna sighed and sat down in front of him.

"All right," she said quietly. "I'll tell you everything.

"It . . . it came to my attention only weeks ago. To prepare for an exam, I snuck into the temple library to study some scrolls I had found about white magic. While I was there, I heard footsteps and ducked out of sight. If a priest caught me out of bed at that hour, I would be punished and humiliated in front of the other children living in the temple. I watched from behind a corner as one of the senior parsons walked to a shelf across the room. He pulled out an envelope hidden between the books on the top row – one that is forbidden to students, because it's where the priests keep records of illegal or cursed spells. He pulled out some parchments and flipped through them before pulling out a single sheet. I watched him write something down on the bottom of the parchment before putting it back in the envelope, and returning it to its hiding place. When he left, I went and grabbed the envelope and looked through the papers. All I found were names and family histories. I pulled out the last sheet, where the ink was still fresh from the priest's quill. On it I found the names of the ten people chosen for the Children of light ceremony. I . . . I saw my father's name at the top of the list, and mine newly written at the bottom. Next to the names were family trees dating back at least one hundred years, as well as a record of all those with white magic abilities. That's how I knew of your mother. I saw her name on the record, and yours as well as your father's next to it," she explained gently, before continuing.

"The next night, I prepared to go and ask the priest the meaning of it all, but the high cleric called me into his quarters after dinner. He had been dying for long time, but his condition was even worse when I walked in to see him.

" 'Child', he said, 'an old man must confess his deepest, darkest sins before passing into the next life, especially to the person he has wronged the most. I tell you this now because you are dear to me, and also because I am a coward who fears for his soul. Your father was my best student, and I owe it to his daughter to tell the truth.'

"I asked what troubled him, and he began to cry. 'I have stood by a horrible lie for the last ten years, stood silently as innocent people were tortured and murdered,' he wept. He told me that white mages were hand picked every year and delivered to Sin as sacrifices.

"I tried to get clearer answers out of him, but he was rambling near the end, desperate to unload his secrets in time to meet Yevon. Before he died, he told me not to trust Lord Seymour. He told me that Seymour is planning to resurrect Sin for his own devices, but to do so he needs one final sacrifice. I was supposed to be that sacrifice. My father was the first person Seymour delivered." Her eyes darkened. "He was a summoner before becoming a Maester."

She stopped and looked up at Tidus' expression, for she had been staring at her hands in her lap throughout her entire speech. Shock is not even the best word to describe the look on his face. It was drained of any colour, and his piercing blue eyes were wide with disbelief. His jaws opened and closed repeatedly, but no sound came out.

Yuna recognized the expression. He was having a hard time accepting the blow she had just delivered to his entire belief system. She felt her heart constrict, fearing he would not believe her and take her back to the temple.

"I can't . . . this . . . I . . ." Tidus stammered. Yuna reached forward and clasped his hand in her own.

"I know," she whispered. "I'm sorry that you have to face this, I truly am. But you must believe me. I would never lie about such a thing."

He was so quiet, taking in this information, that for a moment Yuna wondered if he had fainted from shock. When at last he spoke, his voice and hollow.

"I believe you," he said calmly. Yuna sighed with relief. "I don't know why I do . . . maybe you are lying. But your eyes . . . I think they are sincere."

Yuna smiled softly, touched at his trust in her. But his attitude disturbed her. He sounded as if a piece of his heart had been broken off, and it could never be mended.

"Where am I taking you?" he asked suddenly.

"Bevelle," Yuna answered. "I'm going to the temple where Sin's sacrifices are held to get to the bottom of this. Will you help me?"

He nodded slowly, not even bothering to question her theory. His eyes were so lost, that Yuna ached at the sight of him. He resembled a child lost in a crowd, cut off from his mother and desperately searching for her again. Did he really have so much faith in her? Did he really believe she could prove Seymour's foul play?

"This airship is heading to Luca," Tidus said tonelessly. "Once we get there, we'll buy horses and more supplies."

Yuna nodded in agreement. "Thank you," she said. "I can't tell you how much this means to me-"

"If," he cut in sharply, holding up his hand to silence her, "I find out you really are lying to me about this whole thing, then I will make you suffer for it. Do you understand, Lady Yuna?"

"Yes," she replied, swallowing. "I understand."

"Good. Get some sleep now," Tidus said, leaning back against a wooden crate. "We have a few hours left to go."


	3. Luca

The cargo room seemed to be stiflingly small all of a sudden. Tidus crouched against the wall with his head lowered, arms propped up on his knees, deep in thought. Yuna was asleep, a mere foot away from him, curled up against a wooden crate. Even in the darkness, he could faintly make out her features, how tranquil she looked, even in such a dangerous time.

The young man's contemplation momentarily flickered back to his home, where Yuna had undressed before him, offering herself in payment for the huge responsibility he had taken on for her. He knew she had not wanted to do it . . . he could see the fear and uncertainty in her eyes, though she had tried to mask it with sultry words and emphatic expressions. Oh, how he had wanted to take her, right then and there. If she had wanted him as badly as he had wanted her, then he would have grabbed her and carried to his bed in a heartbeat.

Ah, he cursed his gentlemanly ways.

He sighed heavily and leaned his head back against the metal of the airship's wall. His brain was aching from all the thoughts and questions swirling around inside. Was Yuna lying to him about the Children of Light ceremony? Was it really a huge sham to hide the dark and terrible secret of Sin? How could he be sure that she was trustworthy? What if his mother had just been another gruesome sacrifice for Sin's survival? His blood boiled at the mere thought. The idea that his mother had been slaughtered rather than sent to a heavenly paradise was almost unbearable. He wanted desperately to believe Yuna, and most of his conscience did, but there was still a shadow of doubt within that he could not fully shake, a faint trace of hope that maybe she was wrong and that his mother was really alive and well in the Farplane. He had seen no deceit in Yuna's eyes, nor did he hear it hidden in her voice. She was either telling the truth, or an extremely talented actress. He sincerely hoped it was the former.

Tidus had a gift for searching out honesty. He had always been good at smelling lies or foul play. But if he had fallen into a trap because of this girl . . . this bewitching and bright-eyed girl who had somehow charmed him into helping her . . . then the punishment would most certainly be death. How could he turn his back on his faith so readily? How could he forsake the laws of Yevon, which he had followed so diligently for his whole life? Maybe a secret part of him had always questioned the ways of Yevon, but he had never dared to voice them or act upon them. He knew no other way of living than by the ways of the temple.

"I'm such an idiot," he whispered out loud. "What the hell was I thinking?"

Yuna's breathing faltered, and she stirred suddenly. Tidus quieted his own breathing so that he could listen to hers, in case something was wrong. He once had to share quarters with an epileptic man who had seizures in his sleep, suddenly and without warning. Tidus had trained himself to listen for signs of trouble.

It appeared that she was having a nightmare. She whimpered quietly and let out a vague sob. Tidus' eyes, which were fully accustomed to the dark, watched her face curiously. Her expression was taut with fear and anxiety, and she suddenly flinched as if she had been struck. She looked alone and lost, like an abandoned child.

Any anger or mistrust Tidus felt towards this young woman instantly evaporated, at least for a while. He simply could not summon any resentment towards a girl who appeared so utterly helpless and afraid. Besides, he feared that her voice would give away their hiding place.

He reached down with one hand and rested it lightly on her silken hair. Its softness almost startled him. He gently stroked her head, careful not to wake her, until her whimpers faded and her trembling stopped. She sighed breathily in peace, and relaxed, falling once again into a relaxed slumber.

Tidus kept his hand on her, almost afraid to remove it in case she had another nightmarish attack. To his surprise, Yuna's hand suddenly moved up and grabbed his, swift and gentle, but firm. Her hand was warm and soft, like the feminine hands of a princess. Tidus swallowed and stared down at her, unsure of what to do. He didn't want to let go, but was worried that Yuna would be suspicious if she woke up and saw that their hands were clasped together.

Still, the temptation to hold on was too great to shake off. Tidus relaxed and lightly squeezed her hand, telling her subconscious that he was there with her, and would protect her from any harm whether in reality or her dreams.

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Tidus awoke with a start. The splash of dropping anchors jolted him out of his sleep. He blinked and frowned. When had he fallen asleep? He should have been awake to watch out for any danger of getting caught acting as a stowaway.

Next to him, Yuna jumped awake as well, and only then did it dawn on Tidus that he was still holding her hand. He quickly let go of her before she could become fully aware of her surroundings once more. Her eyes focused and she sat up slowly, looking around in confusion.

"Are we stopping?" she asked. Tidus stood up and listened.

"We should get back into the crate," he said. She nodded and rose to her feet as Tidus pushed back the lid and crawled into the box. He made room for her and closed the lid over their bowed heads, and the two of them waited breathlessly as the door to the cargo room opened and the plank was lowered to the ground for unloading.

The crate shifted as a few pairs of worker hands grabbed it and began to carry it down the plank. Tidus braced himself against the corner to keep from falling over, and Yuna did the same across from him.

The box was painfully hot, and Tidus wished feverishly that air holes had been provided. He breathed heavily to keep cool, but was careful to remain quiet. He could smell sweat forming on Yuna's skin, as well as his own.

'I should have known Luca would be this hot in summer,' he thought, irritated at himself.

Without warning the box dropped to the ground as the workers let go of it, and Yuna fell forward from the force of the impact. She stopped herself in time before ramming into Tidus, but she banged her knee soundly on the wood. Tidus could see her biting her lip to keep from groaning in pain.

Outside, seagulls shrieked and Tidus could hear ocean waves falling upon the shore. So, they were on the beach once more, he concluded.

"We wait until the coast is clear," he whispered, leaning in close to Yuna so she could hear him. "And then we bolt. We find a place to buy horses and supplies, and then we head for Bevelle." He knew that using machina would be much faster, but it would be much more expensive than horses . . . Tidus supposed it didn't matter anymore that using machina is an offence to Yevon.

She nodded in understanding, and changed her position to a more comfortable one to wait.

An hour passed, and Tidus felt as though he would suffocate in that heated crate. He wanted desperately to take a breath of cool clean air, but he did not feel safe enough to expose himself yet. He could still hear faint voices outside as the workers ate their lunch before preparing to work again. He bit back an impatient and uncomfortable sigh.

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A seemingly endless amount of time passed before Tidus suddenly became aware of a heavy silence. He pressed his ear to the wall of the crate and listened closely. All he could hear was the gentle lapping of waves on the sand. No voices to be heard.

In the darkness he reached out and touched Yuna's shoulder, for neither of them could see each other in the darkness of the crate. He felt her move under his touch, and then tapped his hand to show that she was awake and listening.

"Let me check," he whispered. He slowly pushed the lid up and peered outside, sucking in a whiff of cool fresh air while doing so. It was dark outside, but the sun had only just set. The docks were empty of people and the ship was gone, but they only had a few minutes before a watchman would come by to oversee the cargo.

Tidus swallowed. Perhaps any minute now people would be coming down the beach to get their stuff back. He quickly stood up, shoving the lid away, and stepped out onto the dock. His body was cramped from being trapped in the box for so long, and he and Yuna took a moment to stretch and massage out their aches.

"We should wear these and hide our faces, and pose as priestesses in training," Yuna said, finding two long pieces of material from the crate. She tossed one to Tidus and wrapped hers around her shoulders and head, shielding her eyes. When Tidus did not move, she peeked under the cloth to look at him.

"Nobody outside the temple is allowed to talk to the girls until they reach their full priestess rank," she explained, raising an eyebrow. "If it bothers you so much, just pretend to be my bodyguard."

Tidus pondered this new option, and then nodded once in approval. He draped the material around his body and hid his face the way Yuna did. Then the two of them silently walked towards the road that led through the residential area of Luca. Gradually the sounds of the sea receded, and were soon overwhelmed by the chaotic noise of city life. It had not been long since Tidus was last in a city, for he had only been stationed in Besaid for a short amount of time. It was odd how familiar it all was; the crowds, the noise, the confusion, the lights . . . it had all once been common for him, in spite of his once strict Yevonite beliefs on machina. Now he found himself missing the quiet solitude of Besaid.

The giant city towers loomed up in the distance as they neared the residential area, and Tidus noticed a bright flashing billboard out of the corner of his eye. He caught a glimpse of Yuna's face.

"What the hell?" he exclaimed, stopping dead in his tracks. Yuna turned to see what he was staring at, and blanched at the sight that greeted her.

LADY YUNA DAUGHTER OF LORD BRASKA KIDNAPPED BY MAD YEVONITE WARRIOR! BE ON LOOK OUT FOR OUR BELOVED SUMMONER'S DAUGHTER! SHE HAS BEEN CHOSEN FOR THE CHILDREN OF LIGHT CEREMONY! IF FOUND PLEASE CONTACT THE TEMPLE IN YOUR AREA!

Yuna's face appeared on screen again, and then was replaced by a picture of Tidus' face. Tidus swallowed and felt his stomach churn with a sickly feeling. Yuna was shaking.

"So . . . now the world knows . . ." she breathed, never once taking her eyes away from the billboard. Tidus licked his lips and drew the cloth tighter around his head, as if worried it would suddenly disappear on him.

"The market usually has horses," he said quietly, gently pushing Yuna forward again. "It should be closed by now. We can steal two and leave money at the front to pay for it. Nobody will let us buy them without asking to see our faces anyway."

"You're very kind to be doing this for me," she told him, placing a hand against his shoulder earnestly. "But if you get into any danger because of this-"

"Going back is out of the question, my lady," Tidus interrupted. "No matter what anyone says, I broke the law helping you escape. I'm in just as deep as you are."

She lowered her face for a moment.

"There's no need to be so formal. Please, just call me Yuna.

Her voice had a tired edge to it. For a moment, all of the events that had just transpired over the last day and night came rushing back to Tidus. Not for the first time he found himself cursing his decision to help her, wishing that it had been anyone else but him who had to escort her to the Final Sending.. He could be home by now, eating Besaidian fruit with his friends, or sleeping in his comfortable bed listening to the sea crashing against the shore. The young man sighed inaudibly and looked back to his companion.

'It doesn't matter now,' he thought grimly. 'We're in this together.'

"The market area is just ahead," Tidus whispered into her ear after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence passed. They were now walking along a busy crowded street downtown, just beyond the residential area. The market was another two blocks away. The two of them kept their faces hidden and drew their 'cloaks' around themselves tightly. Tidus, who was much bigger than Yuna, made an imposing figure directly behind her like a protective shadow as if he really were her bodyguard.

"Lookit here, Tekkan," a gruff voice said from their side. "We got ourselves a liddle priestess."

Yuna backed up and almost walked into Tidus' chest as two seedy-looking men emerged from a pub entrance, leering at her grotesquely. She turned her head away, careful to keep the upper half of her face concealed.

"Who's the other one?" the second man, Tekkan, hiccupped uncertainly, sizing up Tidus' build.

"Her escort," Tidus answered coolly, reaching for his sword beneath his cloak. He kept his hand on the hilt, prepared in an instant to use the blue blade.

"Oh ho, the liddle lady needs an escort, eh?" the first man chuckled. "Me 'n' Tekkan would be more 'n' happy to take her off yer hands, sir." Tekkan chuckled blearily in accordance.

Yuna wisely refrained from speaking, keeping to her priestess guise. Instead she tried to avoid the confrontation entirely and made to walk forward, but the man's hand lashed out and grabbed her wrist tightly. He clenched so hard that she felt as if her wrist was breaking in half. She gasped in pain and tried to shake him off, but he only laughed at her weak attempts.

"Come on now, missy, ain't you gonna warm up to us?" he said chillingly, offering her a cruel smile.

Neither he nor Tekkan had time to react before the point of a blue sword suddenly appeared at his throat, resting dangerously at the jugular. Tidus leaned in over Yuna's shoulder and hissed at the sweating drunkard menacingly.

"Let her go, sir," he said, spitting out the last word with venom. By now a small crowd of people had stopped and turned to see what was going on. A few uneasy murmurs rippled from person to person, and Tidus prayed that nobody would try to interfere.

Tekkan blinked slowly.

"Kobba, mehbe we should jus' go," he said, swaying a little on his feet. Kobba swallowed visibly and slowly let go of Yuna's arm. She jerked it away and held it gingerly against her chest.

"Now step out of our way," Tidus growled, pressing the blade ever so slightly harder against Kobba's neck. The two men backed up immediately.

"Come along, my lady," Tidus said formally, gently urging Yuna forward. The two of them began walking through the crowd, which had now lost interest and was gradually dispersing from the scene, when Tidus felt a rough hand on the back of his neck. Kobba had grabbed him in a cheap attack and pulled the material back from Tidus' face.

A sharp gasp rose up from the surrounding people. An excited voice rose up in the stunned silence.

"It's them! Lady Yuna and her kidnapper!"


	4. Flight in the Dark

Had it not been for Tidus' firm hand shoving her forward, Yuna would have stood rooted to the ground with numb shock. As the realization of what was going on apparently began to sink in all around her, she raised her arms to shield her face and launched herself forward through the crowd before any of them could move. Most of them were still struck stupid at the sight of their summoner's daughter and supposed kidnapper.

The two of them dodged and fought their way through the mass of people, with the help of Tidus' blade held out threateningly. Yuna pulled out her dagger and swung viciously at a large man that grabbed her by the elbow, and he let go with a startled yelp. Tidus thrust the tip of his sword forward and nearly speared someone else who had tried to bar their path. He dove to the side to avoid being stabbed, and Tidus pushed through, gripping Yuna's arm with his free hand.

In the confusion that followed, Tidus and Yuna darted across the street through the busy machina traffic and disappeared into a dark alley. In the back of her mind, Yuna would have liked to inspect the machina more closely, or stare wide-eyed at the bright city lights. She had spent her entire life on the primitive island of Besaid, where little to no technology was ever used. Besaid was a holy place, whose inhabitants were firmly devoted to Yevon. Luca was a complete contradiction to everything she had grown up with.

The machina vehicles stopped and people emerged slowly with looks of disbelief on their faces. Yuna could see Tidus grit his teeth as he kept his hand on her back.

"Keep going, don't look back!" he shouted as the crowd followed hotly on their trail. Yuna clenched her fists and obeyed, for she did not need to turn around and see how many people were after them. She could tell by the sheer volume of the voices behind her that a large group was closing in on them.

As they rounded a corner, Yuna noticed a long narrow crack in the wall to her left. It was almost impossible to detect, and the only reason Yuna had seen it was because she had put her hand against it by accident, but before she could say anything Tidus must have found it too. He pushed her roughly towards it and then veered off in the opposite direction. Yuna sucked in her breath as much as she could and slid into the crack just as the first runner came in sight around the corner. She turned around and waited with taut nerves as Tidus concealed himself tightly between a dumpster and the brick wall.

"Search everywhere! I saw them down here!" a loud voice cried. More footsteps approached quickly, sounding like a stampede of wild horses.

Yuna bit her lip anxiously as someone began looking around the dumpster where Tidus was hiding. She could not see him, for he had hid himself from sight, but she knew that if someone tried to move the dumpster, Tidus' location would be discovered.

Gradually the crowd began to thin out as people moved further along the alley. Yuna did not even dare to reach up and brush the hair away from her eye lest someone somehow manage to catch sight of it.

"Aah, they must've moved on further ahead," an annoyed voice growled. "Let's catch up with everyone else."

"Aye, this place is empty."

Yuna exhaled slowly as the two men disappeared around the corner, but she still did not move. She could hear one more set of footsteps walking slowly nearby.

'Come on, come on, hurry,' she thought impatiently, lowering her eyes and wiping a thin sheen of sweat off of her forehead with the back of her hand.

A shadow fell over her suddenly. She frowned and looked up, only to find herself staring into a pair of startled, triumphant eyes. The last searcher had found her hiding place.

Yuna gasped as he opened his mouth to call out to the others, but no sound came. She heard a dull thud and stared at him as his mouth hung open, his eyes glazing over in a daze. He blinked slowly, and then collapsed against the wall. A rock lay next to his head.

She glanced up and saw Tidus standing before her.

"Hurry. It won't be long before they head back this way and find him," he said urgently, reaching through and taking her hand. He assisted her out of the niche and the two of them crept through the next alley. It would take them around the crowd of searchers and they would be kept safely in the shadows.

"Once we reach the market, we'll just take one horse. It'll be easier than finding two and saddling them both up," Tidus whispered, to which Yuna nodded in agreement.

Like two shadows, they moved through the network of alleys. They dodged from sight whenever they came across a search party. It was not long before most of Luca was aware that the Lady Yuna and her 'kidnapper' were somewhere in the city. Yuna's ears were sore from the loud metropolitan noises of Luca, and her lungs were on fire from running. She longed to cool her throat with some water, but she would not feel safe until she and Tidus had left the busy city.

At last, after many heart-stopping close calls with the searchers, they both left the city's residential area and made it to the market place. It was a huge region full of small open stalls full of merchandize, closed behind a metal sheet until the opening hours arrived at dawn. It was slightly old fashioned, for the shops were constructed only of wooden frames and colourful cloth. The air was cleaner out here, away from the city smog, and smelled of wilderness.

Yuna squinted her eyes as the two of them made their way to the livestock section, keeping low to the ground and slinking between shops. She could vaguely see mountains rising up in the distance, and just beyond the market area there were vast open terrains. It would be a long time before they would be able to reach the forests . . .

"There," she said suddenly, pointing to their right. She heard a few muffled neighs coming from a small stable close by. Tidus, keeping his head low, moved in the lead towards the squat building.

The barn was dark and smelled of hay and horses. In the darkness, Yuna could see Tidus searching out an acceptable horse that could carry both of them. Very distantly she could hear voices shouting in the city not too far back. They were drawing closer to the market place . . .

"Here we are," Tidus said at last, moving forward. Yuna followed him and found herself standing in a stall before a large specimen, coal black but with a silver mane and tail. She stomped one hoof nervously, disturbed by the two strangers, and arched her neck defensively.

"Maybe we should look for a less distinct-looking one," Tidus suggested uncertainly. "She would be recognizable anywhere."

He moved down the hall, but could find no other horses that looked to be in good condition for hard traveling. The black and silver mare must have been a new arrival, coming in after the market closed. He could think of no other reason for such a healthy, beautiful animal being left unsold.

Shushing her gently, Yuna moved forward and held her hand out for the mare to sniff. She then began stroking her face and neck, speaking in a soft tone. Tidus watched her animal-charming skills admiringly, and then grabbed a saddle that was hanging up nearby. Yuna helped him prepare the horse, skilfully manoeuvring the bit in the creature's mouth.

"Leave some gil in her stall where the owner can see it," Tidus whispered, leading the uncertain mare out of the stall after adjusting the girth strap. Yuna obeyed, counting the coins dutifully, and then followed Tidus out of the stable and into the night. The other horses snorted curiously, puzzled by their companion's sudden and discreet departure from their midst.

Before mounting, something must have caught Tidus' eye. He abruptly dropped the reigns into Yuna's grasp, and jogged away into the surrounding darkness without a word. Yuna sighed impatiently and looked around, anxious to leave the market place as soon as possible. What on Spira was Tidus doing?

It was not long before he came striding back to her with something in his hand.

"Here," he whispered, pushing it into Yuna's surprised hand. "I'll teach you how to use it later."

He had given her a belt and a small scabbard for her dagger, both simply but sturdily designed. She stared down at them wondrously, and then looked up at him with wide eyes. He merely nodded, and she smiled gratefully in return.

Without another moment of hesitation she wrapped the belt around her slender hips and positioned the scabbard over her left thigh, the way she had seen warriors do it back home.

Tidus swung up into the saddle with ease, and moved forward so that Yuna would have room behind him. She pulled herself up behind him, holding onto his arm for support, and had barely settled herself before Tidus kicked in his heels and the mare burst into an immediate canter.

Yuna gasped and gripped her arms around Tidus' waist tightly, frightened at the prospect of tumbling backwards off the horse's rear end. Beneath his jerkin, Yuna could feel the firmness of his muscles and the warmth of his flesh. She was glad to be in the company of such a man, and would not have felt safer with anyone else. Without thinking, she laid her head against his back between his shoulder blades, as if he was a friend she had known for ages. She did not see him glance quickly over his shoulder at her, nor did she see the half grin on his lips.

The wind whistled through her hair and made her clothes ripple as she, Tidus, and the horse dashed across the open terrain. The sky was clearer out in the country, and though Yuna could still see the city lights behind her, she could no longer hear the busy urban noises, nor smell the pollution. She could see the stars at last, and the moon appeared as a thin silver crescent above. For the first time since her ordeal began back at the temple yesterday, she felt free and unhindered by the law. All that really mattered at the moment was the taste of the wind, the drum of the horse's hoof beats on the grass, and the comforting heartbeat of the young man in front of her.

"We'll head through the Kueki forest, away from the main highways," Tidus said to her over his shoulder, slightly breathless from the fast-paced ride. "It'll be safer that way. We can stop in another hour to eat and sleep."

It was only then that Yuna realized her stomach was growling.

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They rode until they could no longer see the city lights. It was only when they disappeared behind a line of dark trees that they stopped.

Yuna collapsed gratefully in the soft grass, her knees weak from clenching the horse's sides during the ride. Tidus swung down from the saddle and tied the mare loosely to an overhanging tree branch, allowing her room to graze nearby. He then sat down across from Yuna and leaned his head against the tree trunk behind him. He closed his eyes for a moment. The faint moonlight made his hair and skin glow.

"Tidus," Yuna said quietly. He opened one eye to look at her. "There's something I should tell you."

He sat up straighter to listen, both eyes open now. Yuna bit her lip.

"When we get to the temple in Bevelle, where all the sacrifices are made . . . I don't know what's going to happen. I have nothing planned. I have no idea what to expect, or how dangerous it will be," she said, lowering her gaze. "I just wanted to tell you that . . . well . . . I won't ask you to stay with me until the very end, if we make it that far. I understand that you've given up a lot for me, and I won't ask you to endanger your life further than you must."

He stared long and hard at her. "Yuna," he told her, "I will follow you to the end. I have to. We're in this together, you and I."

An owl hooted in the branch nearby, offering temporary release from the stillness of the night. Yuna sighed and lowered her head, feeling angry tears in her eyes.

"I hate them," she whispered. "I hate the temples for lying . . . I hate this whole conspiracy." The tears spilled over and fell onto her arms. She couldn't stop them, even if she tried.

Tidus watched her quietly, waiting for her to calm down. He wanted to say something to comfort her, but he couldn't summon the right words. There was probably little he could say to make her feel better anyway. This was a dark secret that she had to bear alone for several weeks, and now that she had someone she could trust, he thought it best to let her unload some of the burden.

"I hate the fact that so many people have lost someone who means something to them, all for that sick man and his demon pet," she continued shakily. "My father, your mother . . . all those people who were so happy to be chosen . . ."

"My father disappeared the night she left," Tidus said quietly, his eyes distant.

Yuna glanced up at him.

"He was gone a lot, I remember," Tidus continued, picking idly at a blade of grass. "He was a blitzball player, always away at tournaments and stuff. I remember when I was nine, he was gone for an entire year. He wrote my mother letters, and he wrote to me once or twice. He said he was enjoying himself at the tournament in Bevelle, but I knew there was no tournament in Bevelle . . . at least not a year long one. I knew he was somewhere else, but nobody would tell me the truth. When he came back, he was different. He was quiet, and always angry. He drank a lot more than he used to, but . . . in a way he treated me okay. I mean, he was no father of the year, but I always got the feeling he really was looking out for me."

A silence fell between them. Yuna's stomach growled again, but she was too exhausted to eat. She curled up on her side and fell asleep instantly, cushioned by the soft grass and moss.

The last thing she saw before falling into slumber was Tidus, staring down at her with those beautiful azure eyes.

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It was the smell of roasting meat that woke Yuna up. She sat up abruptly and looked around, surprised to see that dawn had come so quickly. It was still rather dark out, but a thin crack of light was slowly appearing on the horizon. Tidus was crouching nearby over a small fire, turning a medium-sized chunk of meat over the flames on a spit. The smell made Yuna's mouth water instantly.

"It'll be ready in just a minute," Tidus said, without turning to look at her. "I figured it was safe enough to get a small fire going in the dark. Nobody will see the smoke."

"Where did you get the meat from?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"I went hunting a few hours ago and caught a rabbit," he explained. Yuna grinned slightly.

"Don't you ever sleep?" she asked. Tidus smirked lopsidedly at her over his shoulder and said nothing.

Yuna yawned and stood up, stretching her arms and arching her back luxuriously. She ran her fingers through her hair and realized with a frown that she needed to bathe, and quite badly.

"Do I have time for a quick bath?" she asked to Tidus' back. He nodded once, his attention still on the meat.

"There's a stream just past those trees," Tidus said, pointing off to his side into the forest. Yuna, bottle in hand, made her way into the gloom of the woods, humming softly under her breath. She was in a good mood now that she was out of the city and momentarily out of danger.

A minute's walk brought her to the edge of a stream, shallow enough for her to stand in but deep enough for her to wash herself. She stripped off the red dress Tidus had given her and waded into the cool water, sighing slightly as it embraced her.

Her feet touched the pebbly sand under the crystalline water, and she waded out into the middle of the stream where the surface came up to her collarbone.

She scrubbed her body with sand, ridding herself of dirt and grime before reaching up to clean her hair. When she was done cleaning, she allowed her body to float for a moment down the current. Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when she felt something land on her stomach. With a sudden loud shriek she sat up and kicked wildly, looking around with alarmed eyes. When she looked down, she realized with a mental slap that it had only been a vine that slid down from a branch and fell across her stomach.

"Nerves of steel, Yuna," she muttered to herself, trying to calm her racing heart. Perhaps she was not as relaxed as she thought she was, to be startled by mere plant life.

Rolling her eyes at her foolishness, Yuna emerged from the water to get dressed and head back to the fire. Her stomach was now rumbling ravenously, and the meat smelled awfully good from here . . .


	5. The Guardian's Code

Tidus looked up from the fire and realized that the sky was becoming lighter with dawn's approach. Quickly he stood up and began kicking dirt over the flames, stifling their brightness.

With a full stomach and having had a few hours of sleep, the young man's mood had improved considerably. He even hummed a song under his breath as he extinguished the fire. It was easy to almost completely forget the gravity of the situation he had been sucked into.

Indeed, he had missed the bright lights and the noisy atmosphere of city life, but he was relieved to have left it, not only because of their pursuers but also because he had grown accustomed to the quiet peace of the countryside. He found himself missing the tropical warmth of Besaid, the feel of the heated sand beneath his bare feet, or the cool ocean against his skin. He missed the good-natured laughter of the fishermen in the harbour, or the sounds of children playing in the streets. He missed the sight of new priests and priestesses in training make their first excursions outside the temple, or the old housewives hanging their laundry out to dry while chasing away curious stray dogs.

A sudden sound cut into his thoughts, but it was so sharp and quick that Tidus almost didn't catch it. He then realized that Yuna was out in the forest bathing, and after a moment of thought, it dawned on him that he had just heard a scream.

With lightening-fast speed, the young man whipped out his azure blade and dashed into the forest, ignoring the twigs and branches that snapped in his face.

He could already hear the sound of running water where the stream was, and he was certain he had seen Yuna walk in this direction.

"Yuna?" he called, ducking his head as a particularly large branch loomed up in his path. "Yuna!"

His eyes detected a flash of pale skin, the glimmer of brown hair. He quickened his pace and emerged seconds later at the stream's edge. Yuna, who was just buttoning up the red dress he'd given her, whirled around to stare at him with startled eyes.

"Tidus, what is it?" she asked, holding still as he rushed over to her.

"Why did you scream? Are you okay? Did something hurt you?" he demanded, dropping his sword and grabbing her by the shoulders. She blinked at him as understanding slowly came to her.

"Oh, that . . . uh, an animal just startled me, that's all," she said, embarrassed. Tidus stared at her as the words sank in. His hands dropped back to his sides and he sighed heavily, letting his head fall back.

"I see," he said tonelessly. Yuna began to giggle softly. He glanced at her sharply. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, it's just . . . it was so brave of you to come rushing to my rescue like that," she said, amused. "If I'm ever in any real peril, I know I'll be able to count on you."

Tidus narrowed his eyes at her as picked up his sword, sheathing it firmly into the scabbard on his back.

"Well, I am your guardian, aren't I? It's part of the code," he said grumpily.

"The code?" Yuna asked as they began heading back to their camp.

"The Guardian's Code," he replied, holding a branch back to keep it out of her way. "Always protect the one you are guarding, even at the cost of one's life. Always come running with your weapon at the ready when the one you are guarding is in danger. Always be there to help the one your guarding when they encounter any obstacle. Never betray the safety of the one you are guarding. Your life is secondary to that of the one you are guarding."

He had memorized it so quickly, that he could recite it off by heart without even trying. "Part of the Yevonite Warrior training is to qualify as a guardian if you can't carry out your duties to the temple."

Yuna stared at him in amazement.

"Do you think your life is secondary to mine, Tidus?" she asked quietly. Tidus hesitated in thought.

"If the time comes . . . I will always put your life before mine," he told her. His sense of responsibility was engraved so deeply in his nature that he would never wilfully sacrifice someone's life over his own. Besides that, his instincts were telling him that Yuna had an important task to carry out, a task that had everything to do with the temple's deceit. He knew somehow that she was going to be the one to uncover the truth. He could see it in her eyes, the quiet fierce determination burning inside. It occurred to him that he would never entrust anything so vital to someone else.

His words sobered her.

"I'm sad to hear it," she said softly. "I never want to see you get hurt because of me."

"We may not have a choice, Yuna," he said gently, as the two of them returned to their campsite. "We're in deep water right now. Whatever happens, we'll have to face it head on."

She nodded in agreement, but her eyes were still dark with worry. He could tell she wanted to thank him again for helping her, but he was glad she chose to remain silent. She had thanked him enough already, and as time went by, he found himself sinking further into his dutiful nature. It was no longer a matter of being forced into danger. It was now a matter of saving the followers of Yevon from a terrible fate. If Seymour found a way to resurrect Sin, with or without her, the world would fall into darkness.

Tidus felt a surge of anger. How could his mother have been chosen? She had never harmed anyone. She had been a kind-hearted healer, a talented white mage. Everyone had loved and trusted her. What had she done to deserve such a thing?

"Yuna," he asked suddenly, an idea hitting him as he mounted the horse. "How advanced are your magic skills?"

Yuna's expression faltered. She dropped her eyes. "Not very good, I'm afraid."

"How can that be? You are the daughter of the famous High Summoner Braska!"

"I don't know," she replied, somewhat stiffly. "I suppose I just didn't inherit his aptitude for it. My trainer told me that I would only ever be able to do basic white magic. Why do you want to know?"

"Well, think about it. Every year for the last millennia, a powerful white mage has been chosen to be sacrificed for Sin, somehow benefiting the Maesters. If this were true, then why this year would they choose someone of minimal ability? Why would they pick you if you didn't have advanced powers?"

"I wish I could tell you," Yuna shrugged. "All I know is that I was kept under lock and key so that no one could see how weak my magic really was. It would put shame to my father's legacy."

Tidus winced inwardly with sympathy as he helped her up onto the mare behind him. It must have been hard for Yuna, growing up with a powerful summoner father while being hardly gifted at all in the same field of magic.

"I can't shake it," he told her. "I really think the temple had you marked for a big event."

"We'll figure all that out when we get to Bevelle," Yuna said decidedly, gripping his waist tightly as he urged the mare into an easy canter.

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As the morning progressed, Tidus noticed that Yuna had fallen asleep against him, her head nestled between his shoulder blades, breathing softly as her arms hung loosely around his middle. He slowed the mare down to a smoother pace so as not to disturb her.

They were on a narrow winding trail through the Kueki forest, a relatively unused path that most people avoided except for hunters or royalty traveling in secret. It was a peaceful place, and the woods were so dense that Tidus could barely see beyond the first line of tall dark trees. A bird was singing softly nearby, and the mare's hooves made soft clopping noises in the dirt, but otherwise the world felt completely silent.

Tidus was jerked roughly out of his serenity by the horse's abrupt halt. She snorted and pawed the dirt trail anxiously, swishing her tail in agitation.

"Whoa, whoa," he said soothingly. Yuna came awake behind him, jostled into awareness by the horse's behaviour. The creature would not be calmed.

"Come on, girl," Tidus sighed, dismounting and moving to stand in front of her. She began taking nervous steps back, snorting and tossing her head. Yuna slid down from her back and stood next to Tidus, resting her hand gently on the animal's face to comfort her.

"What on Spira is the matter with her?" Yuna questioned, frowning up at the uneasy mare.

"Something's spooked her, I think," Tidus grunted, straining with the effort of holding her halter to keep her from jerking her head back. The horse flared her nostrils and whinnied shrilly, her eyes rolling in sudden fear.

Tidus frowned as he heard a faintly distinct whistling noise. He was about to turn his head when something narrow and bright flashed past his ear and embedded itself into the wood of a low-hanging branch just above the horse's ears. The creature reared up in terror, neighing frantically while lashing out with her hooves. Yuna leapt as high as she could and snatched the shiny object from the wood.

"It looks like a needle," she commented, astonished and confused. It was almost a foot long, stiff but somewhat bendable, and it almost appeared to be made out of metal, but it looked organic. Tidus lost his grip on the mare's reins and watched helplessly as she galloped away through the trees. It was only when he heard Yuna scream next to him that he realized there was a real threat. He felt Yuna's hand press down on his shoulder and he immediately dropped to the ground next to her, hearing a loud swarm of several dozen hissing missiles fly over them, landing in the dirt a short distance away from them. He stared in amazement at the long spiny needles entrenched into the ground, glinting unassumingly. Instantly he jumped up to his feet and hefted Yuna up as well.

He whirled around to face the danger with his sword out, for it was the first thing his instincts told him to do. Yuna was backing away slowly, her eyes round and her jaw hanging open.

"Spirits preserve us," Tidus hissed through clenched teeth, feeling a cold sweat break out over his skin.

Standing no more than twenty feet away from them was the largest fiend he had ever seen in his life. It stood at about eighteen feet tall, though Tidus could not have guessed what it's accurate height was. It was so wide that its stone-coloured body was almost squeezed between the tree lines on either side, and it was covered in thick body armour lined with small shiny needles that glimmered dangerously in the sunlight. At its small evil mouth, two large pincers protruded, clacking together ominously. A long tail swished out behind, decked with even larger pins than the ones on the creature's body armour. To top it all off, each of its four arms and two hind legs were spiked with long curved claws, each lethally sharp.

Yuna gripped onto Tidus from behind, trembling violently, as if completely unaware of the two daggers in her possession. Tidus' sword was shaking in his hand, but he refused to take his cerulean eyes away from the fiend.

The creature was hissing grotesquely, so that foamy saliva coated its clicking pincers. It regarded the two humans through four small unblinking eyes. Then, faster than either of them could have believed, its tail whipped out over its head like a scorpion's, and a shower of needles came flying through the air directly at them.

Tidus shoved Yuna off to the side into the ditch and threw himself in the opposite direction, avoiding the needles by an inch. Now that there were so many of them gathered nearby, he could smell something strange in the air, a pungent odour that filled his nostrils like an unwelcome guest.

"Yuna," he gasped, "don't let the needles hit you. They're poisonous!"

Yuna gaped at him for a moment, and then nodded in understanding, pulling her twin daggers out with as much courage as she could muster. Tidus, keeping low to the ground, glanced back at the fiend, surprised to see that it had not moved. It was obviously not going to waste much energy in killing them to devour them or carry out whatever grim plans it had in mind. Perhaps it was simply trying to amuse itself with their deaths.

"Go around the other side," Tidus whispered across to Yuna, gesturing with his eyes to the trees behind her. She nodded again and did as he ordered, while he turned and went in the opposite direction through the trees on his side of the path. Perhaps the creature would be confused by their separation and not know what to do. Perhaps it would be distracted long enough to lose interest, or perhaps expose a weak spot for Tidus to take advantage of.

The fiend stood still as the two figures slowly made their way around it. Its tail swished back and forward methodically, and Tidus swallowed nervously at the sight of those dangerous needles.

Without warning, the beast gave a loud nightmarish shriek and lunged towards the forest, directly where Yuna was creeping along.

"NO!" Tidus shouted, leaping forward, blade held out. "Over here, demon! Take me!"

Confused by the noise, the fiend hesitated and turned its giant head around to inspect this bold human. Dimly Tidus could see Yuna's pale face, staring back at him in terror. He swung the blue sword threateningly, watching as the sunlight caught its hue and cast a reflective light in the fiend's eyes. The beast hissed at Tidus as it towered over him, and swung his heavily armoured claw at his head. The motion was too sluggish and predictable, though, fortunately for the young warrior. Tidus rolled to the side and scrambled to his feet again, backing down the path to lure the beast away from Yuna's location. This time one of the secondary arms lashed out, faster than Tidus had expected. He dodged it, but only just. He could feel the wind of its heaviness ruffle his hair.

"Tidus, look out!" Yuna screamed, running out onto the path behind the fiend. Tidus stood up just in time to feel four enormous claws drive their sharp tips into his stomach. Unknown to him, the creature had prepared another strike with its front right arm.

He dropped the sword, barely hearing it thud against the ground. Slowly, almost carefully, he took a few staggering steps back, stunned by the pain seeping through him. The claws were poisonous, all of them. He could already by the feel of the heat of the venom traveling through his body . . . there was no stopping it.

He fell to his knees clumsily, strangely indifferent to the fact that the creature was pacing around behind him. The fiend itself seemed to have lost interest in its little game. It had killed one human, and it had been great fun, but now it was weary and impatient with the slowness of the human's death. Carelessly it headed off into the forest, knocking trees over effortlessly, uncaring of the dismay it had caused.

Dimly, Tidus could hear Yuna's footsteps race towards him. She fell to his side just as he collapsed onto his back, stiff and board-like. Why was it so hard to hear and see? Why could he not feel Yuna's hands on him, or see her panicked tears streaming down her lovely and anguished face?

He felt the tears hit his forehead, but so faintly.

"Are you crying Yuna?" he asked, his mind confused. His voice came out like a cough, for his throat was feeling very tight and constricted.

"Tidus, don't die! Let me help you . . . please stay with me . . ." she sobbed. Her voice sounded so distant and dream-like.

"I won't leave you," he promised her. Why would he leave her? They had a mission to carry out. It was an important one too. Oh, she's beautiful, so very beautiful. 'Is this death? Am I dying now? I'm not supposed to leave her . . . not just yet.'

The pain was starting to slack off now . . . all he could feel was a growing wave of warm numbness. His heartbeat was slowing.

"Let me rest for a minute," he muttered, finding it difficult to breathe. "We can move on when I wake up."

And then the world was dark.


	6. Kiss of Life

"No," Yuna whispered, watching with helpless horror as Tidus' perfect blue eyes misted over and his head lolled to the side, unconscious. "No, no, no, no, NO!"

Why, why were they so isolated? Why couldn't they be near a doctor or a medical centre? Why were they out in the forest alone together?

"Don't leave, please," she choked, pressing her face down against his, letting her tears fall unchecked onto his closed eyelids. His paled skin was still warm, but his expression was so . . . so dead. So empty. It gave her chills to look at his face.

'I have to help him,' she thought with a sudden jolt. 'I have healing magic. I can save him. I have to!'

Blood everywhere. It soaked his skin beneath his shredded jerkin. That was bad enough, but it was the venom inside that worried Yuna.

Yuna then stared down at Tidus, her mind speedily going over the possible ways to do this. She was used to healing small cuts and bruises, and even a few tiny burns, but that had always been the extent of her power. Did she really have the strength to cure poison before it was too late, as well as four huge slashes? The danger was inside of the body, a place Yuna's magic had never ventured into, and what if he bled to death? There was one option she could try, but it was advanced magic, one she had only seen strong priests and priestesses try.

"Only one way to know," she murmured to herself, summoning as much courage and willpower as her nerves would allow. Something inside her began humming, a pulse of energy that heated her veins and prickled the skin on the back of her neck. She had never felt such power before.

With a deep breath, she brought one leg up and straddled Tidus over his hips, settling herself comfortably. Using vicious energy powered by desperation, she ripped open his already shredded leather jerkin and tore it off of him to completely expose his wounds. She placed both her trembling hands on either side of his tranquil face, holding his head steady.

Yuna hesitated, her heart drumming wildly in her ears, before leaning down to his face.

Her hair swung down like a curtain as she pressed her lips against his mouth, gently forcing it open with her tongue.

Oh, how soft his heartbeat was beneath her, how faint his breath was.

She commanded every magical fibre in her body to awaken. Every shred of strength she had was forced to tap into her core of power. Then she concentrated energy into her mouth. The cool energy gathered like a pool into her jaws, tingling on her tongue. Yuna blew softly into Tidus, sending all her White Magic healing powers into him. She could feel it enter him, moving down his throat and into his lungs, and then into his weakly pulsating heart. From there, it was unleashed into his body via the bloodstream, searching out the venom and destroying it instantly. The cure worked its magic everywhere, but it was taking so much out of her. She could already see it begin to heal the tissue around his wounds, sealing the skin back together and eradicating any infections that had started to grow.

The hum in her veins was almost painful.

Yuna felt the pressure pounding in her temples, blocking out every other sound. Her brain was screaming for her to stop, saying she'd done enough for him, that all would be well if she just let go. But she refused, and held onto the thread of willpower that remained, forcing her gift into him with all the strength she could muster. She could feel the magic reaching every corner of him, cleansing him. But while he was being cured, her body was recoiling. Her limbs were seizing up, and her back arched against him as if forced by some unseen might, pressing her stomach against his bloodied body. Her skin was soaked with sweat, so much that it dripped off the end of her nose, and now his blood was seeping onto her. Her hair clung to her head in damp clumps. The hammering in her body was almost unbearable, and her skull felt as though it was splitting into a million pieces.

Had an outsider been observing, they would have seen a very curious sight. They would have seen a young woman leaning over an unconscious young man, their lips together, and they would have seen every single vein in each body alight with a silvery glow, luminescent and visible even beneath the skin. They would have seen the veins in the young woman pulsating, forcing the ethereal substance of light into the man's bloodstream.

She held on.

'Come back, Tidus,' she begged. 'Come to my light. Wake up.'

And there it was, that sensation she had been searching for. Life. Awareness. Feeling. Breath. Heartbeat. Quickly she cut off her magic, but before she could pull away, Tidus sat bolt upright with her lips still against his mouth. Completely governed by impulse, his arms came up around her, holding her to him. Yuna was shocked to feel his tongue stirring in her mouth, but she did not pull away.

In an instant, he wrenched apart from her as the realization of what was going on dawned on him. He stared wildly into her eyes, gasping as if out of breath, his arms still around her shoulders. There was a fierce light in his eyes, a brightness she had never seen before as a new vigour coursed through his healed body. Her hands were pressed against his chest, and she gazed back into him, unable to move.

Then the overwhelming and utter exhaustion sank into her, falling over her like a giant blanket. Her eyelids dropped and she slumped against Tidus' broad chest, breathing a single sigh of relief. She had done her work. He was alive, and she could rest now.

She did not even hear him say her name before she drifted away into slumber.

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Yuna came awake gradually, but she chose not to open her eyes just yet. She felt far too peaceful and relaxed wherever she was, and she felt no great urge to wakeup. The sun was warm on her face, and she was nestled against something strong and comfortable. She felt as though she was rocking gently from side to side.

But then the memories started sweeping back to her, everything about the fiend, Tidus, healing him . . . was he alive? She couldn't remember. Her eyes flew open and she stiffened against whatever it was she was leaning against.

"Good to see you're awake now," a deep voice said quietly, somewhere close to her head. Yuna looked up into Tidus' smiling blue eyes. She stared up at him for a moment, wondering why she was so close to him. Her nose almost touched his when he looked down at her directly.

She was sitting sideways in front of Tidus on the horse, which, to her amazement, decided to return to them after Yuna had passed out. She had her forehead tucked against the side of Tidus' neck, and he had both arms around her to hold the reins. She noted with mild interest that she was wearing different clothes, and it took her a moment to remember that the other one had been stained with Tidus' blood. Now she was wearing a tan brown traveling dress that fitted her much better, hugging her figure. It was long-sleeved, laced up at the chest, and there was a long slit up the leg to allow freer motion while riding the horse. It gave her strangely delicious chills knowing Tidus had been the one to undress her.

"How long have I been asleep?" she yawned, not bothering to sit upright. She returned to her former position with her head against his shoulder, forehead against his neck.

"About an hour and a half," he replied. His voice vibrated soothingly against her face. "I owe you my life, Yuna. Thank you for saving me."

"I wouldn't have done anything else," she told him, closing her eyes. She was rested enough not to go back to sleep, but it felt nice just to close her eyes and enjoy the comfort.

"What did you do to me that cured me?" Tidus questioned, his voice wondrous. "I felt something powerful inside of me, but I was so close to death, I couldn't tell what it was. It felt like . . . like winter had come into my body, cooling down the heat of the poison. I felt like . . ."

"Like what?" she pressed, curious.

He hesitated again.

"It felt like . . . you were there in me. I saw you in my mind. Somehow it was like you had reached inside to heal me. I felt so strong . . . so alive. What did you do?" he asked.

"Something very dangerous and very rarely attempted," she replied calmly. "I've only seen aged priests and priestesses try it. It's called the Kiss of Life. I sent all of my magic into you, healing you from the inside. I even made sure you wouldn't have any scars on your stomach from where the fiend hit you."

She was silent for a moment, letting her words sink into him.

"I didn't think I could do it, at first. I was afraid to try in case I failed. But . . . somehow, I started to believe I could. I felt a power in me I've never felt before. And then I did it . . . but I don't know how it was possible. I've always had such weak magic, my whole life. How did I manage to summon so much?" she asked, speaking as if to no one in particular.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I'm grateful that you could. I would have died if it hadn't been for you."

Yuna smiled then, touched at his words. She didn't tell him that if he had died, she would not have known what to do. In the short time she'd known him, she was startled to find how much she depended on him, how safe she felt in his presence. If something had happened to him, she doubted she would have had the courage to go on and continue the journey alone. Briefly she remembered the soft warmth of his lips against hers.

"Uh oh," he said suddenly, pulling the horse to a stop. Yuna opened her eyes and looked to the front of the trail. Her heart flew into her throat.

"Don't tell me that's a road block," she said nervously.

"It's a road block," Tidus said grimly, his arms tightening around her for a minute.

"Can we turn around and find another way?"

"Didn't you see the symbol on that flag up there?" Tidus pointed up to a large white flag with a red emblem, an ancient symbol from the earliest introduction of Yevonite culture. Yuna's heart sank. It was the flag of the temple.

"If we turn around now, they'll suspect something and come after us. They're checking for ID up there to let people pass . . . they're looking for us."

He swerved the horse unexpectedly into the trees at their side, and urged her forward away from the path. Then he dismounted quickly and pulled Yuna down with him. Her legs were still a bit weak, so she held on to the saddle for more support. She watched in puzzlement as Tidus began rooting through the saddlebags.

"What are you looking for?" she asked as he began searching through a second bag.

"I packed a can of animal grease for cooking," he grunted busily. "I need to find it, and I need you to gather some mud and dirt. I've got an idea."

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". . . And if I catch you asleep at your post again, I'll skin you alive, you hear me, soldier?" the grumpy Captain Druzzan of the Yevonite Warriors snarled, waving his fist threateningly under Wakka's nose. The red-haired young man, in spite of his considerable size compared to Druzzan, swallowed nervously and saluted in understanding. The captain spat at his feet contemptuously and stormed away to find more things to yell at.

Wakka sighed and turned around to face the path once again, trying vainly to ignore the heaviness of his eyelids. He had been roughly awakened at dawn of that morning and forced onto an airship with all the other Yevonite Warriors, without breakfast and without a chance to catch up on his sleep.

All Wakka knew was that he was supposed to stop anyone who came along the path and check their ID before letting them pass through, which didn't make much sense to him. It was as if the Warriors were looking for someone in particular, but who?

"Any sign of them, brother?"

Wakka perked up slightly and stood still to listen to the hushed conversation nearby. He did not turn his head, for if he did, the two priests talking would realize he could hear them and carry out their discussion somewhere else. Wakka needed to know who they were looking for once and for all.

"Not yet, I'm afraid. I'm beginning to worry that they may have found another route past us."

"Nonsense, our camp stretches out for leagues all around. It would take them at least a full day to get around us, and I imagine the Lady Yuna and her companion are in a much bigger hurry than that."

Wakka felt his blood turn cold.

"So you don't believe the rumours? You don't think she was kidnapped?"

"Of course not. I've known Lady Yuna since she was a child in the temple. I tell you, she can be surprisingly stubborn. If she had been kidnapped, she would have found a way to escape or call for help."

"True, true . . . and I suppose many people in Luca saw how she was running with that Tidus lad instead of being dragged along. I think you're right; she did leave voluntarily."

"Which begs another question: Why would she run from the ceremony? She can't possibly know about -"

"Careful, brother . . . let's not speak of this further, shall we?"

Wakka stood frozen on the spot, his heart leaping into his throat. So, the temple was searching for Lady Yuna and Tidus. Why? Why were they so intent on capturing them for a ceremony if they said themselves the only consequence would be exile and excommunication? Why not wait until next year and choose someone else? Surely Yevon would not want to force one of his children into the Farplane against her will, especially if she was so desperate to avoid it.

Wakka swallowed heavily and tried to clear his head. What would he do if Tidus and Yuna showed up at his watch post? He had promised to cover for them, hadn't he? But it would be dangerous . . . if anyone found out it was he who let them slip past, there was no telling what kind of punishment he would have in store.

"Hey, Wakka, you got some customers," a voice said tauntingly from behind. Wakka grit his teeth and ignored the jibe, keeping his attention to the path ahead, where two cloaked figures on horseback were approaching.

As they drew nearer, Wakka stood up straighter.

"Please dismount and show me your ID, sir and ma'am," he said in a clear scripted voice, trying to control his Besaidian accent. The two figures did not move right away, and Wakka's gaze lowered to the man's hands on the reins. His stomach lurched.

The skin was a dull greyish colour and had a sick glisten to it, and here and there flecks of dead skin stood up grotesquely. Wakka licked his lips and struggled to manage his gag reflex.

"If y-you are lepers, den I don't have permission to let you through-"

"Wakka, it's me!" the man whispered from beneath his cloak. That voice was familiar.

"T-Tidus?" Wakka hissed, his face blanching. "If it's you, den . . ." his eyes fell to the woman in front of him. "Lady Yuna?"

"Wakka, you have to let us through," Tidus whispered urgently, pulling back his hood to reveal his eyes. His face also appeared to be decaying. Wakka was still gaping up at him incredulously.

"But, you're skin, brudda, it's-"

"Please, Sir Wakka, let us pass," Yuna begged, keeping her voice low. She too revealed her eyes, and Wakka could see that her face was also made up like Tidus'. "We have an important task to carry out. We are only in disguise."

Wakka began to regain control of himself then. He paused for a moment to think whilst trying to calm his racing heart.

"All right," he said at last, reaching into a bag at his hip. He pulled out two red tags on strings. "Wear these around your neck, if you don't want anyone to stop and talk to you, ya? They're called 'Licenses of Silence'. We give 'em to the travelers who are under a vow of silence because of temple trainin'. You'll get by without a fuss."

Tidus reached down with his gruesome hand and took the tags from his friend, and handed one to Yuna. Wakka threw an anxious glance over his shoulder as they put them around their necks.

"I gotta ask ya something," Wakka said suddenly, turning back to face them. "Do you know what the temple is up to? I gotta feeling that they ain't tellin' the truth."

"We do know, Sir Wakka," Yuna replied sadly. "But I'm afraid now is not the time to tell you. The less you know, the safer you'll be. Someday I'm sure Tidus will tell you, when all of this is over. Until then, I thank you with all my heart for your kindness."

Wakka blushed slightly and fought to hide his embarrassed grin.

"Ah, my Lady, it's nothing. Anything for the greater good, ya?" he said with a modest shrug. "Go on now, nobody will stop you with those tags."

"Thanks, my friend," Tidus whispered as they passed by on horse. "I won't forget this."

Wakka gazed after them as they moved ahead, inwardly struggling with his inner demons. Still, he watched with a smile on his lips, knowing secretly that no matter how nervous he was about his own consequences, Yuna and Tidus were doing the right thing.

"I don't know what it is you're plannin', brudda," he murmured to himself. "But good luck, ya?"


	7. Auron

Auron was furious. Beyond furious . . . he had never felt such rage in all his years.

"I demand to see that bastard Seymour!" he roared, storming towards the tent that was set up a short distance away from the path. The two guards at the door flap stood paralysed with fear as the intimidating warrior came nearer and nearer, each unable to move in response.

Just before the livid man could reach the door flap, it was pulled open and Lord Seymour emerged alone, staring at Auron with cold cunning eyes.

"Calm down at once, Sir Auron," he said contemptuously. "I've never seen you in such a state. If you wish to speak with me, at least be certain you can control yourself."

"You and I have things to discuss, Guado," Auron spat, leaning into Seymour's face emphatically. The Guado raised an eyebrow and stepped back into his tent, allowing room for Auron to walk in.

"Gentlemen, you are excused," he said airily to the guards, who hesitated at abandoning their posts. Then they saluted and jogged away, each rather shaken at their encounter with the legendary Auron. The man was not only famed for his imposing presence, but his unmatched skills as a warrior. It was only their fortune that he didn't have his enormous katana with him during his wrath.

"Now, what is it you wish to bring to my attention, Auron?" Seymour asked shortly, dropping the formalities.

"You know damn well what I mean to say," Auron snapped. "You made a promise to Braska! I heard the words from your very mouth, you lying filth! You promised him you'd never choose Yuna for Sin's sacrifice in exchange for you miserable life, nor would you lay a hand on the boy. You already broke your oath to Jecht when you chose his wife for the sacrifice, but now Braska, Spira's saviour? How could you betray the memory of our friend?"

Seymour sighed softly and shook his head, turning away from his old companion to stare into the fire at the centre of the tent.

"Ah, yes, that is unfortunate business, I admit. It pains me to have had to do it, but it was not my will, Auron. Sin told me it wanted her-"

"Bullshit!" Auron cut in, fighting to keep his voice low. "You didn't hear anything of the sort. Sin never speaks to you; you're the one who's in control! You feed it as if it were a helpless animal."

"Are you questioning my honour? I could have you killed here and now, you know," the Maester said carelessly. Auron moved swiftly across the tent and stood eye-to-eye with Seymour, so close that his nose almost touched the Guado's.

"Don't you dare make idle threats, Guado, and don't speak to me of honour. I can kill you here and now with my bare hands for what you did, if only Braska hadn't already stopped me." He paused and smirked grimly at the confused look in Seymour's eyes. "Oh yes, he knew what you were planning. He made Jecht and me vow not to harm you though. Braska, he was such a softhearted fool, great as he was; he said that in time you would meet retribution for your treachery. He couldn't bear the thought of his two childhood friends at your throat, even though he knew you meant to deceive us all. But if it weren't for his friendship Jecht and I would have ripped you apart the moment we saw you in that temple. I should have destroyed you when you murdered Jecht, but unlike you, I keep my promises. Never forget that, Seymour."

"Jecht got in my way," the Guado said darkly. "I had no choice. He was going to expose the temple to the rest of Spira. I had to stop him."

"If there was any decency left in you, you'd have turned yourself in to the authorities and confessed long ago," Auron said contemptuously. "Jecht was doing the right thing."

"Jecht was out of his mind with grief for his wife," Seymour replied impatiently. "He would have attacked Sin with his fists if I wasn't there to put him out of his misery."

"You certainly haven't changed," the warrior said disgustedly. "You're still the same scheming little maggot you were as a child. You owed the three of us for taking you in the way we did."

"What is it you want, Auron?" Seymour asked in a bored tone, wrinkling his nose at the warrior's breath in his nostrils. "Do you want to simply rave at me or did you come here for a purpose?"

"Call off the search for Yuna and Tidus. I won't stop your sick little game, despicable as I find it, and I won't wring your neck. But stay away from the kids, if you have any soul left to honour our friends." Auron said in a dangerous tone.

"It is not that simple, my dear old friend," Seymour said in a mockingly tragic voice, turning away from Auron. "I am merely a tool for Sin's use. I must do as it commands, for the good of all Spira. If it wants Yuna, then I have no choice but to deliver her to it. And I am only planning to kill the boy if he gets in my way of capturing Yuna. It is only a miracle that Sin has permitted me to postpone the date of sacrifice, allowing me time to find her-"

He felt a rough hand on his shoulder spinning him around in mid sentence, and then he felt Auron's vice-like grip around his throat. He could see the blinding fury in the man's unscarred eye behind the tinted sunglasses.

"Choose someone else. You have that power, I know you do. I don't care who you choose, but make it someone else," he hissed. Seymour's eyes were wide with alarm.

"Guards," he choked. "Guards!"

"Are you scared, Guado?" Auron taunted, allowing himself to be pulled away by four young men. "Have you seen enough of my rage? I'll come back for you if you don't do as I've ordered, Seymour, I swear on Braska and Jecht's life I'll come back!"

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With the red tag around his neck, Tidus felt relatively safe, but his eyes kept darting warily to the passing soldiers and priests. He knew how lucky they had been to come to Wakka's watch post. Had it been anyone else, the two of them would have been caught for sure. He did not want to think about what could have happened then.

It felt strange being surrounded by the very people who were after them, yet being so secure in their midst. He felt more reassured with the weight of his sword on his back under the cloak, but every now and then he found himself jumping nervously at any unfamiliar sound. Still, it was a relief to see people step away from them courteously whenever he flashed them the red tag. He loathed the feel of animal grease and soil rubbed onto his skin, but the gruesome effect it had on his appearance was exactly what he had been hoping for.

"We're almost through," Yuna murmured to him. He nodded and gripped the reins tightly from around her waist. He could see the end of the encampment just ahead, and beyond it the safe haven of tall green trees.

Just then a loud commotion erupted behind them, startling the horse. Tidus threw a look over his shoulder, as did Yuna, to see what was going on. His eyes widened.

A small group of terrified guards were desperately trying to heave a tall scarlet-garbed man out of a military high-ranked tent not far behind them. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Sir Auron," he breathed. What was that fabled man doing here of all places? Most people said that Auron kept to himself mostly in Zanarkand ever since the so-called defeat of Sin . . . what on Spira could possibly drag him here? It was amazing and almost heart breaking to see a man of such revered stoicism being forcefully dragged away while shouting somewhat maniacally.

"Remember your promises to Braska and Jecht, Seymour!" Auron yelled, as if oblivious to the four men wrestling with him. "Remember your promises! I'll be seeing you again soon if you hurt those kids!"

Tidus only dimly felt Yuna stiffen against him, for he too was lost in Auron's words.

"Sir Auron knew our fathers?" Yuna whispered with amazement. "How? When? What promise is he talking about?"

"We have to talk to him," Tidus murmured back, feeling his heart pounding wildly. He had no idea that his father Jecht was somehow connected to Sir Auron, and possibly Lord Braska. Would this explain all of Jecht's prolonged absences during Tidus' childhood?

Perhaps Auron would know where Jecht was. Tidus had heard not a single word from his father the night his mother had been chosen for the ceremony in Zanarkand. Most people believed he killed himself, mad with grief for the fate of his wife in spite of its glory. In the morning, he was nowhere to be seen, and thirteen year old Tidus had been shipped off to Besaid to live with Wakka's family.

"Hey, you two," a gruff voice said at their side. Tidus and Yuna turned their attention to a short and rough-looking soldier standing near the edge of the encampment. Tidus swallowed discreetly and gestured to his red tag, while Yuna turned her face away from him. The soldier rolled his eyes.

"I ain't gonna get you to talk," he said impatiently. "I'm just tellin' ye to hurry up. You're blocking the path. Keep it movin', will ya?"

The Yevonite Warrior breathed a sigh of relief and nodded once, urging the mare forward. Yuna turned around in the saddle once again, eager to catch a glimpse of Sir Auron over Tidus' shoulder. She was too excited to bother hiding her distinctive eyes. Tidus too looked behind for one more sight of the legendary warrior.

Auron, who was still struggling to free himself from the guards, suddenly turned his face in their direction and his eyes fell to Yuna. His expression changed dramatically to one of shock, the startled recognition racing through his mind. But he did not say anything. Instead he merely relaxed in the grip of his captors, letting them lead him away. His gaze never left Yuna, who was staring back in surprise. Tidus could feel her heart pounding close to him.

"He'll find us, don't worry," Tidus whispered to her.

Yuna waited breathlessly as he guided the horse into the trees. They kept moving silently for a short while, drawing themselves a safe distance away from the camp.

At last Tidus drew to a halt and dismounted, leading the horse with Yuna away from the narrow path. He tied the mare's reins to a tree branch as Yuna descended from the saddle.

"I hear running water somewhere around here," Tidus said to her. "We'll clean ourselves off, and then he'll come to us. I know he will. He's seen your face, or your eyes, or something. Somehow he recognizes you."

She merely nodded and followed close behind as he made his way through the thick foliage. They came to the small creek shortly, and Tidus wasted no time casting off his cloak. All he needed to do was clean off his upper body to be rid of the grease and mud, but a brief swim would be most welcome to cool off the afternoon heat. He did not feel Yuna's eyes on his back as he plunged carelessly into the waist-deep water, drenching himself from head to toe.

He heard her slip into the water behind him quietly, and he glanced back at her over his shoulder. The tan brown dress she wore already clung to her figure beautifully, but now through the wet material he could vaguely see the more intimate details of her body. She had submerged herself and then rose up again, and now her clean flesh was jewelled with beads of water. Her wet hair clung to her face and neck in an oddly seductive way. He swallowed and looked away quickly, busying himself by scrubbing at his arms and face. The memory of his fingers brushing against her smooth skin as he changed her blood-soaked dress was maddening.

"We must speak with Sir Auron," Yuna said to Tidus' back. "I have to see what he knows of our fathers, and of Sin. Perhaps he can help us, tell us everything he knows about the conspiracy. We can both get answers, then," she added, softening her tone. He turned and regarded her with a quick nod.

The sunlight reflected off the water and danced on her face, making her eyes and the water droplets on her face and neck shimmer. Tidus tried to smile back, warmed by her compassion.

"Yuna . . ."

They both turned to the creek bank, where the man in question stood staring down at her with disbelief. Even the long scar through his right eye could not disguise the man's wonder.

Yuna immediately moved away from Tidus and scrambled up onto the bank, facing Sir Auron with a look of awe on her face. She did not flinch or shy away when Auron's hands came up to cup her face on either side. Tidus, although not knowing why, was relieved to note that Auron's remaining eye did not once flicker downward from Yuna's face. Her dress was still soaked through.

"I never would have thought to find you so quickly . . . I was worried that you had slipped out of my reach . . . but I saw your eyes, and there was no mistaking it," he said quietly, unable to tear his gaze away from her. Yuna swallowed at his words. Auron seemed to have then regained his composure, for he dropped his hands and took a respectful step away from her.

"I doubt you would remember," he said, speaking normally, "but I used to watch over you when you were very small, no older than two years old. Braska would leave you in my care whenever he was in the temple, until Kimahri Ronso came to look after you while we went on the pilgrimage."

"I thought I recognized your face," Yuna whispered, her bicoloured eyes sparkling with tears. "I always felt as if I knew you from somewhere, other than from the stories. Your voice is so familiar from long ago, even before Kimahri . . . but I had no idea my father had two guardians."

"Three, actually," Auron said, turning his attention to Tidus, who had only then emerged from the water and stood uncomfortably on the side. "Jecht was another of Braska's guardians."

Tidus could only stare, stupefied by Auron's words. So that explained all of Jecht's disappearances, up until the night his wife was chosen for the ceremony.

"I never knew . . ." he whispered, staring off in the distance as if looking back to his childhood. He gave a start and turned back to Auron.

"Wait a minute . . . of course! Ten years ago, he disappeared for a whole year. He was with you and Lord Braska on the pilgrimage, wasn't he?" he asked, amazed that he had never pieced it together before.

"Correct," Auron said with a nod. He then paused and stared at Tidus closely with his remaining eye. He gave a small shake of his head and smiled thinly. "It's remarkable. You look so much like your mother, there's no fooling anyone who knew her."

Tidus was sobered at the man's words, and looked down at his feet. He could feel Yuna gazing at him sympathetically.

"Why didn't my father ever tell me about you and Lord Braska? About the pilgrimage?" he asked, lifting his head up to address Auron.

"He had his reasons, I suppose," the warrior said with a shrug. "Maybe he wanted to suppress the memories himself. We had a hard time on that journey . . . it was tough on Jecht, losing Braska. The three of us had been best friends, you know."

"And . . . and what of Seymour Guado?" Yuna asked hesitantly. "He was with you as well, was he not?"

Auron's face hardened instantly at the mention of the Maester's name.

"Oh yes, he was there too. Braska wanted him with us. Jecht and I didn't trust him, even when we were kids. He was always the skinny little Guado nobody wanted to be seen with, always glaring at people and sitting alone. Braska felt bad for him, I guess. He invited Seymour into our midst, tried to make him feel like one of us. But when he asked to be Braska's guardian, Braska didn't turn him away. After all, Seymour was the only person who knew the temple's location. He was a weak warrior from the beginning, all the way until the end," Auron said grimly. "His magic level was pathetic. He was never strong enough to really master it."

"Auron," Yuna said quietly, taking the warrior's hand. "I know of the whole conspiracy. I know that Seymour is in league with Sin, and is responsible for sacrificing eight other mages after my father. He's tried to capture me, but Tidus and I escaped from Besaid to go to the temple ourselves. I'm going to try and find a way to stop Sin once and for all. I have to. And I want you . . . to tell Tidus and myself everything you can about what happened in the temple of Bevelle."

Tidus stared at Yuna closely as she spoke, noting the spark of stubborn determination burning in her jewel-like eyes, the way her fists clenched at her sides.

Auron appeared more than a little bit taken aback at her words, but as she continued, his face became dark and bitter.

"I will tell you what I can. There is not much time left."


	8. Secrets Revealed

The three of them sat down by the stream, and Auron took a few sips of sake before starting.

"Seymour . . . planned early on what he was going to do. Jecht and I knew he was up to something, but we weren't entirely sure what until . . . until it happened.

"We arrived at the temple early in the morning, a few hours before sunrise. Its location was supposedly secret to anyone outside of the Bevelle Brotherhood, but Seymour had known the way. We thought that maybe we should rest before confronting Sin, but Seymour encouraged us to keep going. I should have known to stop him, but Braska agreed. So, we entered the temple, not knowing what to expect. Then, all of a sudden, Seymour grabbed Braska from behind and shoved him forward, and Jecht and I were attacked by some temple guards that had been hiding nearby. Seymour broke Braska's summoning staff and bound his hands behind him, and then forced him underground. Jecht and I were dragged along behind. Seymour, he . . . he wanted us to watch everything."

Auron paused for a moment, temporarily lost in memory. The fabled warrior swallowed thickly before continuing.

"The chamber was enormous . . . the size of a whole blitzball stadium, circular and made of pale stone. It slanted downward slightly to the middle, and we were forced down a long flight of stairs. I remember seeing hieroglyphics and inscriptions on the walls. There was a candelabra above the table at the top of the dome ceiling, but that was the only thing that offered much light aside from torches on the wall. There was a large hole in the middle of the floor, and two narrow bridges crossed each other over its middle. At the cross section there was a round stone table. Seymour pushed Braska over the bridge and threw him onto the table. Braska was begging Seymour to stop, and let his guardians go, but Seymour silenced him. Jecht was going crazy. He was struggling so hard to escape, it took seven guards to hold him still. I just . . . stood there and watched as Seymour called on Sin to come and receive its first offering.

"The room got dark, and very cold. It was as if Sin's presence was sucking out all the light and warmth. I could see something coming out of the chasm, something big. It didn't really have a shape to it. It was like a dark shadow, crawling upward into the temple. Then I saw its very core, rising up from the hole like a monster's head out of water. It was a giant orb of darkness, swirling in midair, but I could . . . I could hear screams coming from it. I could even see the glimmer of souls trapped inside its centre. All the cries of people Sin destroyed trapped inside its centre. It surrounded the table while Braska lay on it, helpless, unable to move. It was Sin. Somehow we knew. Only it was Sin's true form, Sin without a physical body. It was simply the essence of evils. Without a body, it has no mind of its own, and can be commanded quite easily by whoever offers it sacrifices. It closed in on Braska, and he . . . he just lay there, staring at it. It was as if he was paralysed. Seymour stood nearby and said 'Sin! Take this offering and give me your victim's powers in return! You have the strength to do it, I command you to give me his powers!'

"The darkness curled around Braska, and I could see the life being sucked out of him. I saw the light leaving him and disappearing into Sin's core. I could hear his voice, swirling around among thousands of others . . . It was at that moment when I finally tried to make my way down to his side to help him, but a guard slashed at my face with his dagger. Thus, this scar," he said, gesturing to his closed eye.

"And then I saw the body begin to rot. The skin decayed so quickly that by the time I realized what was happening, Braska was almost completely a skeleton. But his remains-"

"Sir Auron," Tidus cut in quickly. He pulled Yuna protectively against him, seeing how pale her skin was. She leaned her head against Tidus' shoulder for a moment.

Auron bowed his head in acknowledgement of the signal. He astutely decided to avoid that part.

"When he was . . . when he was gone, Sin moved to Seymour. He opened his arms as Sin came to him, wrapping itself around him. Its shadows were still threaded with pale light from Braska's soul, and I watched as it entered Seymour's body. Then it pulled away, and began disappearing down the hole again. I could see Braska in that Guado's eyes . . . I could hear a trace of his voice in Seymour's.

"Seymour told the guards to take Jecht and myself far away, but not to kill us. He was arrogant enough to believe we wouldn't have the courage to find him and avenge our friend's murder. They knocked us unconscious, and when we woke up, we were in Luca. Jecht and I wanted to kill Seymour . . . we wanted to track him down and rip him to shreds for what he did. But Seymour came to us before we left Luca, and offered us a deal.

"He said that if we stayed away from him and the temple, he would spare Braska's daughter and Jecht's son, as well as Jecht's wife Kalia. He had the power to kill them and nobody would ever know of it.

"Jecht was torn. If we killed Seymour right there, his allies would hunt down his family and little Yuna and murder them, but on the other hand, Seymour was alone and unarmed. It would have been easy to slit his throat right there, but I remembered my promise to Braska that we would never hurt Seymour, for all his treachery. So, we had no choice. We had to consider Jecht's wife and son as well as Braska's daughter, who he loved so very much."

At this, Yuna's tears spilled over, and Tidus pulled her closer to himHe held her tightly as she let out a trembling sob.

Auron stared at the two of them quietly, watched as Tidus rested his face in Yuna's hair, whispering kind words to her that the warrior could not hear. A slow grin.

'You always said they could make a cute couple, Jecht,' he thought silently, agreeing with his old friend for once. If only these kids had met before this whole mess had started.

When at last Yuna regained her composure, sitting up away from Tidus to look Auron in the eye as she wiped away her tears.

"I have questions," she said calmly. Auron nodded expectantly.

"I know. I'll answer as best as I can."

"How does all this benefit Seymour?"

Auron sighed and took another swig of sake. "This is hard to explain," he warned. "Sin has no body and mind, yet it has one ability that makes it invincible. It converts magic from black to white, and white to black. That is why summoners throughout history have never been able to defeat it. The aeons are little more than ghosts infused with their summoner's white magic, so in the end it does not matter how powerful they are. Sin sucks the magic out of them, rendering them useless. It then takes the magic and morphs it into its opposing form, in turn using it against the summoners and their guardians.

"There is a catch, however. Sin, with no body and mind, can be controlled by the provider – one who provides it with sacrifices, which in turn give it longevity. Seymour took on this role when he offered Braska, the most powerful summoner since Yunaleska. He commands Sin to give him the reversed power of his victims, and with each sacrifice, he grows stronger. With the power given to him, Seymour has complete control over the temple. As far as the Yevonite officials are concerned, he is lord and master. If he were to be betrayed by someone in the temple, he could expose them all and have them suffer while he remains untouchable."

Yuna paled slightly, looking sick. "Demon," she whispered. "So many useless deaths . . ."

After a brief moment to absorb this information, Tidus made his own venture.

"You said you saw inscriptions and hieroglyphics on the wall . . ."

"I did not get a close look at them," the man replied, sounding disappointed with himself. "I wish I did. No doubt there is important information there."

"I heard you mention being underground," Yuna cut in. "I did not know there was more than one level to the Bevelle temple that was accessible."

"Seymour had the priests tell him how to find it," Auron told her grimly. "Jecht and I were blindfolded until we reached it. We were not allowed to see the way. I remember the feeling of being shoved down through a narrow opening and landing onto a mat after falling for a few seconds. I think there may be a trap door somewhere on the main level."

"What happens to the people who are chosen to be sacrificed?" Yuna asked, dreading the response.

"It is not a pretty sight," Auron said with a grimace. "Braska was lucky to have been taken so swiftly. He died without any pain. The others since then have . . . not been so fortunate. First they are taken to the chamber and stripped of their clothes. Instead they are given 'traditional' sacrificial clothes to wear for Sin's taking. Then they are tortured for one hour to weaken the body, spirit, and mind so that there is no resistance when the time comes. I was . . . told all this the night Seymour killed Kalia. He drove Jecht wild by telling him what they did to her."

Tidus closed his eyes and lowered his head. It was wise of Auron not to tell him any of the other details of his mother's death.

"Why did Seymour choose my mother?"

Auron stared at the boy sadly, unsure of how to tell him.

"Seymour was in love Kalia," he said gently. "He always had been. He was mad with jealousy that she was so loyal to Jecht. I think he tried to resist the urge to take her, partly out of love and partly out of fear for Jecht's wrath. In the end, he was too weak to live with the knowledge that she loved another man instead of him. At the time, Kalia did not know the secret of the Children of Light ceremony, and she was very grateful to have been chosen. I think his obsession for her was one reason why he tortured her rather than spare her of all people.

"Jecht was . . . delirious with grief. I'd never seen him that way before, when he found out about Kalia. He went after Seymour himself, alone and armed only with his bare hands and rage. He nearly annihilated Seymour, but . . . Seymour had become very powerful by this time. He killed Jecht with as many Firaga spells as he could create. It took twenty-seven of them to finally bring him down, Tidus. I never knew a man with more stubborn determination. You should be proud."

Tidus clenched his hands into fists, so that his fingernails drove themselves into his palms. So Seymour had been responsible for the deaths of both parents. He appeared only dimly conscious of Yuna slipping her delicate hand into his. She could sense his conflicting emotions of rage and distress, not knowing how to express either of them. At last she felt him relax somewhat, and gently withdrew her hand.

"What of the Farplane? Is that not a real place?" she asked, when the tenseness had passed.

"It is real, but quite different from what we were all raised to believe," the man said with a heavy sigh. "Rather than Yevon's realm, as the temples have made us believe, it is a dimension for souls at rest. Mortals cannot go farther than marked places of safety; otherwise they will be trapped in it forever between life and death. It is . . . a disturbing place to be. I hope never to set foot in it again."

"You were there?"

"Once. I thought maybe I would find Braska there, but . . . he is still in Sin's core, I'm afraid."

Silence.

"Auron," she said slowly. "What is Sin?"

"No one knows, Yuna. We may never know. Whatever it is . . . it is incredibly old and powerful. Personally, I'd rather face it with a body than that swirling black shadow . . . it was the most terrifying thing I've ever seen."

Yuna felt the burning hatred course through her. Hatred for Seymour, for the temple . . . Sin for its existence.

"I will destroy it," she whispered in a barely audible voice. "I will find its lair, draw it out, and fight it myself. Somehow, I will find a way to destroy Sin once and for all."

Auron gazed at her. So very like her father . . . startling, the similarities. Why, Braska had spoken those same words the day the pilgrimage began.

"I wouldn't doubt you for a second, Yuna."

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It was not just a matter of defeating Sin anymore, however. Now Yuna knew why it was so urgent to destroy it. She could see in her mind a vision of her father's soul, trapped in the dark depths of Sin's core with countless other lost spirits. Tidus' mother would be in there, and possibly Jecht if his body was given to Sin. Yuna nearly writhed with agonized anger at the thought of her father's magic being drawn into Seymour's body.

She had to release them from Sin. She had to put them to rest.

It was midnight when at last Auron rose from the ground. Tidus and Yuna stood as well, each stifling a yawn. It had been a long day for both of them. They had not been expecting Auron to stay with them anyway.

"I must be leaving you now. I wish I could go with you, but there are things I must take care of elsewhere," he said, sounding more than a little disappointed.

"We understand," Yuna said generously, speaking for Tidus. She took a step closer and then threw her arms around Auron's neck. "Thank you so much, Sir Auron, for everything you've done for us, and for our fathers as well."

Auron looked somewhat baffled as to what to do, but he gradually lifted a tentative arm to return her embrace. He then cleared his throat and pulled away from her, his cheeks faintly red.

"Yes, well . . . ahem. It was my honour to have met you both again, after all this time. I can give you supplies if you wish. I have a map of Bevelle if you want to find the temple-"

"I know the way," Yuna cut in, smiling. "I memorized the maps back in Besaid before the ceremony."

"Good, good," Auron said, nodding at her cleverness. He then looked at Tidus.

"Look out for her, boy. You have Jecht's protective nature, I can see it already. But you will both need each other before this journey is over," he said, somewhat ominously. Yuna and Tidus looked to each other at the same moment, each of them prepared. Auron could see the boy's resolve harden right there, looking at Yuna's trusting face. He smiled secretly to himself.

"I will see you again someday," he told them, shouldering his famous katana. "I have faith in both of you. Farewell."

They watched the legendary guardian stride away into the trees, his blade glinting in the starlight. Yuna took a deep breath and hugged herself for warmth, going over in her mind all the information given to her. It was mind boggling, how wrong she'd been about the whole thing. She had never known about the murder of her father as well as Tidus', nor had she known about the victims' torture or the underground section of the Bevelle temple. So many lies, so many secrets. The agonizing part was knowing that there was still much to learn before the end of the journey.

"We should keep going. We'll rest later," Tidus said, breaking the thoughtful silence. Yuna nodded and wrapped her cloak around her shoulders tightly as Tidus untied the horse from the tree branch. He mounted, and then gave Yuna a hand up behind him. Neither of them discussed the idea of dinner. Neither of them had an appetite.

Yuna was surprised to realize how exhausting this information was to take in. It felt like it was almost too much for her mind to handle. Before long, she was dozing against Tidus' strong back, grateful that he had been there with her while Auron spoke to them. Soothed by the rocking of the mare's stride and by the gentle nighttime sounds, she was soon half asleep, remaining awake only enough to keep her arms around Tidus' middle.

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Yuna awoke with a start. She was still behind Tidus on the horse, but now they were galloping. It was the sudden jolt of speed that had awakened her. There was a thin golden line of sunrise to the east at their left, and they were dashing through an enormous open field. A forest appeared as a small smudge in the distance. Yuna's skin went cold with apprehension.

"What's going on? Why are we galloping?" she asked, knowing instinctively that something was wrong. The wind tore through her hair like ravenous fingers.

"We're being followed," Tidus replied through gritted teeth. Yuna's heart leapt into her heart at his words, and she threw an alarmed glance over her shoulder. Sure enough, she could make out faint figures some distance behind them. They were gaining fast, but they still appeared to be no more than a cluster of black dots on the horizon. Though she could not count them all, she guessed there were at least twenty of them.

"Can we outrun them?" she asked, speaking above the roar of wind in their faces.

"Not for long," Tidus called back. "We've been walking for a few hours now. The horse is getting tired already."

"What if they're not temple warriors?" she asked, allowing herself to nurse one shred of hope. Tidus jerked his chin upward, gesturing for her to look to the sky. She did so, and saw with dismay the dark shape of a falcon overhead. The Yevonite Warriors were famous for using birds of prey to spot targets.

Yuna swallowed heavily. She tightened her grip around Tidus' waist and prayed to any nameless god in existence to give flight to the mare's hooves and carry them to out of reach of their pursuers. Yevon would certainly not answer such a prayer.

"Are you scared?" she asked suddenly. It was very important to her for some reason to know that her guardian was not afraid. To her surprise, he threw her a daring grin over his shoulder, and she could see the warrior spark in his cerulean eyes.

"Not yet."


	9. Mistress Lulu

It was almost invigorating, but Tidus had enough intelligence to feel a twinge of fear deep inside. He knew there was no way he and Yuna could take on twenty temple warriors, but he could not deny the rush of adrenaline coursing through him as he urged the mare into a break-neck speed. The poor creature was already stiff from the hours of marching at a brisk walk; a fast gallop was the last thing she needed, but she could sense her riders' apprehension, and it gave speed to her hooves.

"We have to make it too the trees," Tidus said over his shoulder. Yuna nodded and gripped him tightly around the stomach. The young man could feel her heart pounding against him, matching the rhythm of the horse's gait.

Behind him, Yuna chanced a quick look back at their pursuers.

"Tidus, they're gaining!" she said in an alarmed voice.

"I know," he replied grimly. With a trained ear, he could hear the thud of their horses' hoof beats coming closer.

"If they catch us-"

"They won't," he said, cutting her off. He didn't want to hear the rest of that sentence. She closed her mouth and leaned her head against his shoulder.

It crossed his mind that he could give her over to the temple. It was possible that they would allow him to live if he played dumb, as if he had no idea about the whole conspiracy. He could easily turn the horse around and carry her right into their awaiting arms, saying that she had lied to him and brainwashed him or something. It could work.

But the feel of her breath on his shoulder, her arms around him, her warmth against his back would never allow him to do such a thing. He knew he was powerless against those bicoloured eyes, so full of trust. There was no way he would ever have the strength to turn her in, even if he knew his life would be spared from punishment. Besides, there was the matter of his mother's soul being trapped in Sin's core. He felt the same need to free her as Yuna felt it, as well as to release the others locked in the depths of evil.

The trees were looming ahead, closer by each passing second, but still so agonizingly far away. Their followers were approaching quickly. With one glance, Tidus could already make out the figures of men on horseback, saw the flash of crimson, the Yevonite Warrior colour.

He heard a humming noise suddenly, and for a split second he could not tell what it was. Once again he turned his head to find the source of the sound, as did Yuna, and in a flash he realized what was causing it.

"Duck!" he yelled, lowering his face to the horse's mane. The arrow whizzed by like a bolt of lightening, narrowly missing the mare's ears. Yuna pressed herself against his back, clinging to him tightly.

"Let's hope this girl knows evasive manoeuvring," he said through clenched teeth, keeping his head low. He turned the mare sharply to the right, holding it for a few seconds, and then abruptly switched to the left. The horse, recognizing the signals, slipped back into battle mode from her earlier years as a warhorse. With natural grace, she followed Tidus' guiding commands, even making a move before he asked for it.

A hail of arrows came cascading down around them, but thanks to Tidus' skill and the mare's trained instincts, not target was hit.

The forest was close now, perhaps only a minute away. The horse was foaming at the mouth, snorting and panting from the strenuous run, but she stoutly held the same pace.

Tidus began to feel a flicker of hope. If they could make it into the forest, they would have a better chance of escaping the –

Without warning, the horse gave a shrill scream. Her hind leg buckled underneath her body and she fell to the ground, bringing the two riders down with her. Yuna yelped with surprise as she was thrown from the saddle, rolling off to the side. Tidus was sent into the air as well, too stunned to make a sound. But the second he hit the ground he was up again, hurrying to the horse's side to see what had happened. His heart sank when he saw the arrow protruding from her hindquarter.

Yuna crawled over on her knees and stared hopelessly at the arrow. The animal was giving throaty neighs of terrified pain, trying to stand up but unable to cope with the pain.

"We have to run on foot," Tidus said, grabbing Yuna's arm and throwing a quick glance behind. The hunters were close, drawing even closer by the second. He saw the hesitation in Yuna's face as she stared down at the animal, clearly torn.

"But, we can't just leave her-"

"We don't have a choice, Yuna! Come on!" Tidus snapped, wrenching Yuna back up to her feet and bursting into a fast sprint. With any luck the hunters would kill the horse and put her out of her misery.

The arrows were falling like rain. Tidus moved like a shadow, never staying in one spot for a second. He dodged and bobbed and wove his way from side to side, never once crossing the path of a barbed arrow. Yuna too began to get a feel for the motion, copying Tidus skilfully.

Just before they made it to the tree line, Yuna jerked forward and fell to the ground. An arrow had caught the hem of her skirt and pinned it into the earth, catching her off guard. She tugged it free and scrambled to her feet once again, dashing alongside Tidus to the trees.

As Tidus turned his attention back to the forest, no more than ten feet away, he was astonished to see a brown-cloaked figure standing in front of him, crossbow held at the ready. There were several dozen others in the trees, all armed with crossbows and spears, skilfully concealed in the woods. From a distance, they would be practically invisible.

"Hit the ground!" the hooded man barked. Instinctively responding to the command, Tidus hurled himself to dirt, taking Yuna with him. He threw his arm over her shoulders and pushed himself against her, shielding her head as he listened to the singing of loose arrows flying above.

The first row of riders fell with shouts and gasps of surprised agony, falling from their horses like limp rag dolls. The row behind them faltered and veered off to the side, caught off guard by the ambush.

"Archers!" the cloaked figure shouted. Another volley of arrows shot out from the trees, piercing the hunters with ease. Tidus rolled onto his side to watch with wonder as row after row fell from their mounts. There had been more riders than he assumed. There were at least thirty-five of them, but over half of them were now down on the ground, dead or wounded beyond aid.

"Retreat! Back men!" one of the commanders yelled, balking his horse away from the trees. The remaining men on horses followed suit, casting frightened looks over their shoulders.

"Riders, stop them! Leave no survivors," the leader of the cloaked company ordered in a harsh voice. To Tidus' surprise, ten figures on horseback emerged out of nowhere and sprinted forth, galloping after the retreating Yevonite Warriors. They all had crossbows and war axes strapped to their backs.

As they shrank into the distance, Tidus slowly rose to his feet, still holding Yuna tightly around the shoulders. His heart was racing almost painfully, but as the relief washed over him, he turned to thank their rescuers.

The leading figure stepped forward from the shadows and pulled back his hood, revealing a tall middle-aged man with a long scar crossing diagonally through his lips, giving him a permanent grimace. His creased face was marked with bizarre green and brown paint, but his hazel eyes were bright with a warrior's sincerity. He offered them a smile, softening the off-putting appearance of his scar.

"Close one, eh? Trust me, my boys will catch up and finish 'em off," he said in a heavily accented gruff voice, briefly scratching at his grizzled hair. He held out his hand for Tidus to shake. "Name's Jardo, captain of the Shadowstrikes."

Tidus shook the man's hand, but was suddenly aware of the fact that neither he nor Yuna had their faces covered. Even though the man's smile was friendly, it would only be a matter of seconds before he realized to whom he was speaking. Jardo seemed to recognize the flash of fear in Tidus' eyes. He chuckled and shook his head.

"Don't worry," he said with a wink. "I know who you and the lady are. You got no reason to fear us. We were sent out here to fend off them riders coming after you." He bowed low to Yuna, as did the other warriors.

The young woman breathed a sigh of relief and offered Jardo a grateful smile.

"I thank you, Captain Jardo," she said graciously, curtseying. "We owe you and your fine warriors our lives."

Jardo's cheeks flushed at the compliment as he shuffled his feet modestly.

"Is nothing, Lady Yuna. You and Master Tidus are welcome in this land. The Mistress herself requests that you pay her a visit before you pass through."

"The Mistress?" Tidus asked, puzzled.

"Mistress Lulu, High Priestess of the Westwood people in the village of Cedrann. Very powerful black mage, handsome as the rising sun and wise as the gods," Jardo said, admiration glowing in his face. It did not sound as if his words were scripted, or memorized as some sort of required introduction. He said it as if he truly meant it from his heart. This Mistress Lulu sounded like a fine human being, worthy of respect.

"We would be honoured to see the village and meet this Mistress of yours," Yuna said graciously.

Tidus discreetly examined the tribal markings on Jardo's face, a memory stirring. He remembered an old woman in his neighbourhood in Zanarkand, a widowed medicine woman who was a close friend of his mother's. She bore those same markings, much to the disgust of many people in the area who knew her. He remembered that she had been senile and forgetful, but kindly and sweet-tempered. She knew much about herb lore and medicinal concoctions, and often swapped healing tips with his mother.

"We'll take you to the village," Jardo told them, slinging his crossbow over his broad shoulder. "The Mistress has been expecting your arrival. I'll have my men look after that horse of yours, too."

They thanked him, and then followed him as he turned and disappeared into the forest. He was surprisingly swift for a middle-aged man. The forest was dark, even in the morning light, but they could still see the shadowed figures around them. Tidus watched with wonder. There was something hauntingly powerful about them, the cat-like grace with which they moved. They were utterly silent and travelled with ease through their territory. Yuna too seemed captivated by their dignified movement. They walked wordlessly down the winding path, relaxed in the company of trained warriors. It was a relief to be able to let someone else take command. It was a relief to feel safe at last, even if it would only be for a short while.

Some time later, Jardo led them up a steep hill through thick trees, where the vegetation was so dense that everyone could only move two abreast. Cresting the hill, Tidus could detect signs of activity; human voices, the smell of cooking food, and more. It was like coming home all of a sudden, the familiarity of it.

Jardo stopped at the very top of the hill and turned to face his guests, a pleased grin on his heavily marked face. "Welcome to our village," he said with the same pride that he held when speaking the names of his gods.

The village was surprisingly big, compacted into a small valley. There was a large pond on one side of the community, and animal pastures and an orchard on the other side. Farming fields surrounded the entire settlement, and there was a small clearing in the centre of the village, obviously a meeting place for the people. Each rounded hut was made of mud bricks topped with thatched roofs, with chimney holes in the centres. A few buildings were larger and made of granite, obviously structures of importance.

Yuna grinned delightedly.

"What a beautiful home, captain!" she said enthusiastically. Perhaps she was simply glad to see civilization again, after keeping to the wilds for two days. Tidus guessed that maybe it just reminded her of Besaid.

"Come on now, the Mistress' house is this way," the older captain said, heading down the trail. Yuna and Tidus followed eagerly. Tidus felt a tug of curiosity inside. He wanted to see this Mistress with his own eyes. Indeed she sounded like a powerful woman.

They were taken to one of the large granite buildings, a house with two floors and oaken front doors carved with rich designs. Jardo pushed open the front doors and stepped aside for the two visitors to take a look.

It was not as grand as most middle class homes in Besaid, but it was certainly a fine home. The stone floor was festooned with many ornate rugs, and the high ceiling held a huge chandelier lit with candles. The walls were decorated with many lovely tapestries depicting various scenes and designs. There was a tall flight of stairs that no doubt led to private quarters.

A young serving girl, perhaps no older than thirteen, came forward from one of the rooms off to the side. Shy and pretty, the brown-haired girl curtseyed politely.

"Mistress Lulu wishes to see you in the dining lounge, if you please," she said in a small voice, speaking with the same accent Jardo had. Her Common was spoken haltingly, as if she had practiced it from a script. Then she turned and led Tidus and Yuna through the door she came from.

The dining lounge was a large room, but it was very plainly decorated with no windows. There was a low table set up close to a fireplace, with an assortment of cushions placed around it for seating. One cushion was already in use.

Mistress Lulu, no more than perhaps twenty five years old, was indeed as 'handsome as the rising sun'. Her long coal black hair was held back into a cluster of several braids spilling down from a tight bun, and her ivory white skin glowed faintly in the firelight from the hearth nearby. She wore a black fur-lined corseted dress with an eye-catching skirt fashioned mainly of belts, and her soft full lips were tainted with pale violet. Around her neck she wore a necklace of amethyst stones to show her rank as a High Priestess; the gems glittered beautifully in the flame light. Her crimson eyes beckoned the two guests forward invitingly.

"Welcome," she greeted in a deep, velvety smooth voice. She did not have an accent like Captain Jardo's. "In the name of the Mother and Father, I greet you. Please, have a seat. I've had wine ordered for you."

"Thank you," Yuna said, bowing low. Tidus did the same, too enchanted to say anything. They seated themselves next to each other across from Mistress Lulu. Her very presence was imposing.

"I understand captain Jardo managed to reach you in time before the Yevonites captured you. I am glad, for I was worried I had sent them out too late," she said, taking a sip from her goblet. She then turned to address the greeting girl, speaking in a different language. Tidus guessed that it was in one of the old tongues, native to the wild people who had rejected the teachings of Yevon. The girl curtseyed and smiled at the high priestess, and then hurried away.

"We are very grateful to you, Mistress Lulu," Yuna told the High Priestess. Lulu smiled regally.

"I could do nothing else. I was greatly relieved to know that someone has at last decided to put a stop to the lies behind the temple's ceremony," she said in her rich voice.

Tidus and Yuna stared at her in disbelief.

"Oh yes," Lulu told them wisely, "I know about the Children of Light ceremony. Not all the finer details, of course, but I do know that Sin is involved, as well as human sacrifices."

"How can you possibly know?" Tidus said incredulously, his eyes wide.

"I am a Seer," Lulu explained in her quiet elegant manner. "I know many things that others do not. I've known about the ceremony for quite some time."

"And yet you did nothing to put a stop to it?" Yuna demanded, suddenly angry. Tidus glanced at her quickly, surprised by her tone. Sensing his gaze, Yuna promptly silenced herself and bit her lip.

"My place is here, Yuna, not risking my life fighting for a faith that is not of my own. I knew that someday, someone with the courage and wits to fight back would arise from the shadows and right the wrongs of the temples. I understand your anger; you are far too young to have this burden placed on your shoulders. But I cannot leave my people, not for the Yevonites," the black mage responded civilly.

Yuna bowed her head apologetically. The High Priestess' claret eyes fell to Tidus.

"You have questions. Please, ask anything you want."

"Is this your village?" he inquired. Lulu smiled softly.

"In a way, it is. The people look to me for guidance in times of doubt. They look to captain Jardo and the Shadowstrikes for protection. The Council of Elders looks after managing the village's treasury and legal disputes. It is as if we share leadership. It has been this way for as long as anyone can remember, since the time of the Priestess before me, and the woman before her," she replied, taking another sip of her wine.

"I notice that you do not have the same markings as Jardo," Tidus remarked. She smiled.

"Those are clan markings," she clarified. "They are personally worn by members of a family who wish to honour their ancestors. Every pattern is different. Some do not wear markings, preferring to keep heirlooms or special trinkets. I am not born of these people, but when I was adopted many years ago, I had to forsake my heritage and start anew. My children may one day bear markings to remember me."

Yuna wanted to ask more about the old ways, but Tidus had an agenda.

"Did you see Yuna and myself coming here?"

"I did."

"Have you . . . seen the end of our journey?"

Lulu hesitated.


	10. My Turn

Yuna waited breathlessly for Lulu's response. The High Priestess slowly put down her goblet and sighed.

"I have seen many possible endings for the journey. It is not for me to tell you any of them," she said calmly.

"But . . . you must tell us! We have to know what to expect!" Yuna said imploringly. Lulu eyed her sympathetically.

"I am sorry, Yuna," she said sadly. "But fate is a fickle thing. You must carry out your destinies in ignorance. If you knew what to expect, you would be unable to resist the powers that would compel you to alter your fate. Believe me when I say you are better off following your raw instincts. You judgement cannot be tampered with by knowledge of the dangers you will face. Do you understand?"

Tidus and Yuna glanced at each other, each wanting to beg her for answers, but they both knew that what she said was true. Lulu leaned forward slightly, her wine-coloured eyes earnest.

"Listen to me," she said in an urgent voice. "There is a reason why you two were chosen by the gods to carry out this grave mission. It has been written in the stars that the both of you were designed for such a task. If neither of you can find a way to stop Sin, than I am afraid no one can. You both have the strength to face it and somehow call on your gifts to defeat it. I cannot tell you how you must do this, or why you are the ones selected. Indeed, it is a pity that such a burden should fall on young shoulders. But I do know that the Higher Powers have faith in you. And so do I."

Touched by the Mistress' words, Yuna could not find a way to reply. The enormity of her task suddenly dawned on her, with much more impact than it ever had before.

She swallowed and lowered her head for a moment.

"I thank you, Mistress Lulu," she said at last. "I thank you for sending your men out to rescue us, and for your hospitality. But my companion and I are tired, and if you could kindly spare us rooms-"

"Of course," Lulu said, cutting her off in an oddly polite way. She stood up, and was much taller than Yuna suspected her to be. "I've had a guesthouse prepared for you. This way."

Gratefully, the two guests rose and followed the mage out of her residence into the dirt paved village street. There was more activity now that the sun had fully risen.

Lulu received many greetings and polite bows as she led Tidus and Yuna through the village. One little boy even offered Lulu a small blue flower, blushing furiously when the Black Mage gave him an affectionate kiss on the cheek as a thank you.

"You are welcome among us for as long as you feel you need," Lulu said, coming to a stop in front of a new building. It was smaller than her house, but it too was made of strong granite and it was larger than the peasant houses. "I will leave you two to settle in for your stay. Take your time, and please come sit with me for tonight's festival."

"What festival?" Tidus asked curiously, tearing his eyes away from the guesthouse. Yuna too was interested to know. The priestess smiled.

"The Festival of Brenjaka," she replied with a flash of excitement in her normally placid ruby eyes. "In our tongue, Brenjaka means 'good harvest'. It is the most exalted celebration of my people. Every year we pray for a good yield by devoting one whole night dancing, singing, and feasting in the name of the Divine Parents, and in turn they bless our crops. It is really quite a spectacle. I hope you will join me?"

"Of course!" Yuna said with an eager smile. "I would love to. Tidus?"

"I'd like to see it as well. I heard about this festival from an old medicine woman who lived in my neighbourhood. She was a follower of the Old Way too," the young man replied. "She spoke about the festival quite often."

"Really? What was this medicine woman's name, I wonder?" Lulu asked, raising her dark eyebrows.

"I think her name was Vanya."

"Ah, Vanya. I believe she is Jardo's mother," the black mage said with a faintly surprised laugh. "She left our village a long time ago, when I was but a child. She told everyone that the gods had told her to go and see the world before her old age surpasses her."

"Small world," Tidus said, shaking his head with a grin. "She was as crazy as they come. I wonder whatever happened to her? I moved away when I was young, and haven't seen her since."

"No doubt she still lives," Lulu remarked, clearly amused. "Jardo has a habit of saying 'That old hag refuses to die'."

Yuna and Tidus laughed at this, and then Lulu excused herself. "I have duties to attend to during the day. Remember tonight."

With that, she took her leave, and Yuna walked into the guesthouse to inspect it. It was a cozy accommodation, spacious enough for the both of them. Someone had kindly lit a fire in the hearth.

"Problem," Tidus said suddenly, emerging from one of the rooms to the side. "We only have one bed."

"Oh!" Yuna said, surprised. She felt her cheeks redden slightly as her bicoloured eyes fell to the large mattress in the bedchamber.

"I'll take the floor," Tidus offered gentlemanly. "I've had worse during my training."

"Now, now," Yuna protested. "There's no need for one of us to be comfortable and the other one not. Either we both get the floor or we both get the bed, and it doesn't make much sense for us both to be uncomfortable on the floor."

Her own words surprised her. Tidus too seemed a bit taken aback. He opened his mouth to object, but Yuna wouldn't hear of it.

"Not another word, mister," she said, hands on her hips in a business-like manner. "We're both mature enough to handle sharing a bed, aren't we? Besides, we slept next to each other on the ground while we were on the run."

Tidus closed his mouth and then shrugged. Nothing more was said on the matter, to Yuna's relief.

"I'm tired," she said. "We've had a long day. I'm going to rest for a bit."

"Want me to wake you in a few hours?"

"Yes, thank you. You're not worn out yourself?"

"Not so much. I'm going to take a look around the village for a while."

"Okay, but be sure to get some sleep before the festival starts. It's going to last all night, I believe."

"Don't worry, I'll save my strength for it," he told her, heading out the front door. She waved goodbye and then crawled under the blanket of the wide bed, grateful to sleep on something soft rather than the hard earth. She was asleep in mere seconds.

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True to his word, Tidus gently shook Yuna awake four hours later. Feeling better after her rest, the young woman yawned and stretched luxuriously as she sat up. The sky was still light outside, but in a few hours the sun would begin to go down, then the festival would start. Yuna was keen to see the festival. She had never heard of it before, but it sounded exciting.

Glancing down at the floor, she noticed that Tidus had prepared himself a small cot. He had lain down his cloak on the rugged floor and taken a pillow from the bed Yuna slept on. Strangely, she felt a stab of disappointment. She rather liked the idea of sleeping with Tidus' warmth at her side.

"So, what is the village like?" she asked, standing up from the bed, willing herself to banish such thoughts. She remembered the smell of soap on his skin. It appeared that he had a bath while she was sleeping. Tidus was busy rooting through the haversack for something to eat. He tossed an apple at her over his shoulder. She caught it deftly as he replied,

"Nothing out of the ordinary from other villages, but the people are friendly."

"This festival sounds exciting, don't you think?" Yuna asked, taking a bite of the apple. Tidus grabbed one for himself and leaned against the wall as he chewed it. "Growing up in the temple, I was never allowed to go anywhere without an escort, nor was I allowed to attend big gatherings. Up until the Children of Light ceremony, I never went to any big town celebrations."

He frowned at her thoughtfully.

"Why were you so heavily guarded there?" he asked curiously. Yuna shrugged.

"All girls in the temple were. Even the boys training to be priests had most of their privileges taken away. I suppose I was put under extra protection because of who my father was. Perhaps the temples simply wanted to keep me unspoiled should I ever be chosen for the ceremony," she replied uncertainly.

"Well, hopefully tonight will make up for all the festivals you missed out on," Tidus said, winking. Yuna grinned back.

"I hope so."

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In the given time before the festival, Lulu managed to prepare Tidus and Yuna for the festival herself. After Yuna had a quick luxurious bath, she and Tidus had made their way to the High Priestess' house.

To Yuna, she gave a dark earth brown dress that only came down mid-thigh and revealed her arms as well as her neck and a bit of her chest. She then had a serving girl paint Yuna's face with wild markings. It was only applied lightly so that it would not be so overbearing on her face. Her eyes were lined in black, and beneath it were a few neatly marked smudges of red and yellow. There were hints of dark green on her eyelids. For an extra touch, Lulu added a small gleaming gemstone bead to rest neatly between Yuna's eyebrows. In addition, she also received jewellery to wear temporarily, a necklace of polished red gemstones, and earrings of amber drops. In all, the outfit gave her an exotic look, a savage mystery that hinted a side of her that she did not realize she had. Seeing herself in the mirror, she felt the sudden urge to dance wildly, uninhibited and free from the reservations forced into her nature from youth.

Tidus was given a dark green lace up tunic that only went down to his waist, and kept his brown trousers. He too allowed the young serving girl to apply face a bit of paint to his face. Only his under eye was marked in black, and there were dark green and yellow stripes across his temples. Then there was one dark red streak running from his tear ducts diagonally downward, stopping at his cheekbones. He was then loaned a dark brown leather belt embroidered with rich designs of crimson and golden thread. He was given brown leather wrist cuffs with similar designs like his belt, and a necklace with a long animal tooth on the end.

For fun, Lulu had forbidden the two of them to see each other until the look was complete for both of them. She had positioned them on either side of a drawn curtain, smiling secretively at her own game.

"All right," she said at last, coming to stand at the end of the curtain, ready to unveil the two companions. "Take a look."

She tore the curtain aside and waited with an almost childlike eagerness to see their reactions.

Yuna gaped in amazement. Tidus was wide-eyed and speechless.

Yuna had never seen Tidus look so raw, so powerful as he did adorned with festive paint on his gorgeous features. He looked like a true tribal warrior. In the firelight from the hearth in Lulu's home, he looked even more impressive. He was breathtaking. Yuna felt a quickening of desire, more intense than she'd ever felt for him.

He too seemed entranced by her appearance. His mouth opened and closed, and then all he could do was give an astonished laugh. Yuna did the same thing, covering her mouth as her eyes took him in hungrily.

"You look . . ."

"You're so . . ."

"Wow . . ."

"Amazing . . ."

Their marvel gave way to more laughter.

"You look wonderful," he told her at last, smiling. Even with his face paint, the expression was warm and heart melting. Yuna beamed.

"Likewise. It's as if I'm looking at a real clansman," she told him generously, nudging his arm. She had never worn so little clothing in front of others before, and was not aware of how graceful and slender her legs looked, smooth in the golden firelight. She was not aware of how well the dress hugged her slim figure, hinting at the delicate slope of her breasts, how enchanting her eyes were accentuated by striking paint. She was not aware of Tidus' pulse rapidly increasing at the sight of her, the curve of her soft lips.

"Thank you, Mistress Lulu, for making us so handsome for the ceremony!" Tidus said, grinning at the black mage. Lulu was also decked out in tribal costume, keeping her black corseted dress. Her raven hair was still in its usual cluster of braids, but she was a large headdress of peacock feathers and jewels, as well as a tasteful amount of face paint. She looked every bit her part of the High Priestess.

The woman nodded her head at him, smiling back.

"It was my pleasure. I've had more than my share of fun dressing you two up," she said with an edge of mischief to her deep voice. Yuna took the serving girl's hands and kissed her forehead.

"And thank you for doing such a wonderful job on our face paint," she said kindly. The girl blushed and smiled back, not fully understanding the words of a foreign language, but understanding the gesture and tone of voice. Se bobbed a polite curtsey in response, blushing even harder when Tidus grinned down at her. Obviously Yuna was not the only female present that found Tidus handsome.

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"Sweet Yevon . . ." Yuna breathed, gazing in awe at the scene that lay before her. At her side, Tidus was stunned and silent. Lulu came to stand next to them, a serenely proud look on her painted face.

"Quite a sigh, isn't it?"

At the village centre, the entire population had gathered. Off to one side, there was a performing platform for the musicians and singers. On the opposite side of the vast arena, there was a long table overflowing with plates of the most delectable looking food Yuna had ever laid eyes on. Mountains of cheese, flagons of ale and beer of countless different flavours, endless bowls of fresh salad, platters of roasted meat cooked to perfection, pitchers of spring water, and a staggering supply of ripe fruits.

The giant gathering circle was lined with sitting cushions for dining, as well as for the people too weary or incapable of dancing. The sky was dark, with only a few stars peering down shyly from above. The moon was a thin crescent, nearly undetectable, but gloriously bathed in silver light. All around the gathering circle, there were torches positioned to add visibility, but they were not needed, for at the very centre of the ring, there sat an enormous bonfire, roaring hungrily at the heavens.

Even small children were present, fiercely proud in their play paint and festival clothes. Yuna was startled to find that many women of different ages were walking around topless, exposing their sacred female parts for all to see. There were several men who were nude as well, displaying themselves proudly.

In all her life, Yuna had never seen anything like it. The Children of Light ceremony had been so rigid and sombre. This festival was entirely feral, a celebration of nature and Her phenomenon. It was a tribute not only to the gods' power and grace, but also to the earthly beauty of their mortal children.

And then the music started.

Never did Yuna ever imagine such sounds could exist. Never in all her years had she ever experienced music like this. It was beyond anything her sheltered temple life would allow. It was wild and savage music, blood-pounding drums and haunting melodies from wind instruments of all shapes and sizes. The singers began, grunting and crying out in primeval songs, ageless and eternal songs of the Old Way. Yuna felt tears in her eyes. It was an emotion she couldn't describe. This was a freedom she had never felt before. At her side, Tidus fidgeted slightly, anticipating that first remarkable dance that will trigger a night of celebration of all things beautiful in the world.

Yuna was becoming a slave to that music. It pulled at her heart compellingly, drawing her deeply into the rhythm. Without even thinking she moved forward, joining the growing crowd of dancers. She walked as if in a trance into their midst, feeling the drumbeat resonating in the ground at her feet.

Before she knew it, she was dancing. She was moving in a way she didn't know her body could move. Her hips swayed, arms above her head, fingers combing the air along with the music's flow, spinning, twirling, whirling around unstoppably. Her eyes were closed, but it was as if she could use every other sense to take in her surroundings. The smell of food and close bodies, the sound of primitive song and excited voices, the feel of the pounding earth beneath her and the heat of the people surrounding her. She then felt something new.

A gentle hand on her shoulder. She stopped and opened her eyes to find a young man about her age, naked from the waist up, smiling at her. He had short wiry black hair and chocolate brown skin, white flashing teeth and dark sensual eyes. Yuna stared up at him.

"Dance with me?" he invited, posing it as more of a question than a demand. Yuna smiled up at him and took his hand, nodding once.

She did not notice the intensity of blue eyes following her every move with her dark-skinned dancer.

For some time, Yuna danced with this young man. She learned that his name was Kohan, and he was a new resident from a distance country far across the sea. He had crossed the ocean and travelled the lands after his parents were taken into slavery, until he came to the village for protection. The people did not question the colour of his skin or his unique language. Instead they embraced him as a brother and invited him to stay with them, offering to enlist him into the Shadowstrikes under Jardo's command.

He was a spectacular dancer, moving with a natural grace and style that was both alien and exciting to be a part of.

Yuna had many offers from other young men that night, and even a few women as well. Yuna obliged all of them, relishing her newfound sense of physical and spiritual liberty. She felt powerful. She felt beautiful. For the first time in her life, she felt truly attractive and strong. For at least one night, she could forget about the shy young girl from Besaid Island inside of her. For one night she could forget about the grave mission she must carry on with later. She could forget about Sin, and Seymour, the temple's deceit. None of it mattered tonight. Just for tonight.

She had thought it would be awkward at first to be separated from Tidus, to be alone in a crowd of strangers, but she was relieved to see that he too was occupied, dancing with his fair share of eager young girls. Yuna smiled, even mentally sidestepping her immediate jealous instincts, pleased that he too was having fun.

Yuna had just pulled away from her latest dancing partner, a bashful young boy with curly red hair. She stood alone amidst the swirling mass of dancing bodies, wondering what to do next, when she felt two strong arms slip around her waist. She sucked in her breath at the suddenness of it, her nose taking in a familiar masculine scent. Slowly she glanced up over her shoulder, losing herself instantly in the depths of those infinite azure eyes. She shivered compulsively at his touch, the heat of his breath on her neck as he whispered,

"My turn."


	11. Guilty Heart

For the rest of his life, Tidus would remember the smile she gave him over her shoulder, so coy and playful. It was the first glimpse he caught of a part of Yuna's hidden nature, suddenly revealed by the savage beauty of the night's festival.

Her arms rested over his around her slim waist.

"Think you can keep up?" she asked with a light smirk. Tidus grinned back down at her, his eyes gleaming readily.

"Try and stop me."

He swung her around then, determined that they should face each other eye-to-eye. She gasped slightly at the abrupt movement, but she was still smiling. They began dancing then.

Tidus knew he was a good dancer. He had been well known for it back in Besaid at the parties and gatherings. But he was more than a little nervous when he decided to approach Yuna. What if he stepped on her foot? What if he accidentally tripped her? What if he slipped and lost his balance?

But the moment her arms snaked around his neck seductively, the moment she pressed her hips against his, all fears vanished. All that mattered was the beating of her heart with his, the rhythm to which they both moved so skilfully.

He had danced with several other girls before creeping up behind Yuna to ask her. All of them had been fun and talented dancers, not at all shy about their bodies. He had enjoyed their company. But seeing Yuna dancing with other men was suddenly a problem for him. He didn't like the smiles she gave them, the way their eyes slid over her hungrily. Even the bashful redheaded boy she had been with had placed his arms around her in a manner that was less than innocent.

Not once did they take their eyes away from each other. Their faces were so close that Tidus would only have to lean down ever so slightly before his lips would be upon hers. The idea was very, very tempting.

Yuna smiled up at him, her forehead nearly touching his. There were moving bodies all around them. The smell of sweat and warmth and dirt was almost overwhelming, but it was exciting. It gave Tidus a rush of adrenaline. Suddenly he felt as if he could dance with her all night. It was intoxicating, the heated smell of her flesh touching his own, her eyes passionately lit with fire.

"You dance well," Yuna said, slightly out of breath. The primitive music was fast-paced and vigorous, a challenge to keep up with.

"I've had practice. You're not bad yourself," he replied, panting a little as well. She laughed, moving her hips provocatively alongside his. He copied the motion, letting his hand linger low on the small of her back. The other hand rested between her shoulder blades.

"I've had no practice. If the priests had caught me dancing this way I would have been beaten senseless."

He could only laugh as well, but it was not heartfelt. At the mention of priests, Tidus once again remembered why he and Yuna were even together in the first place. The smile died on his lips, and he stopped moving. Yuna's face became concerned, but she still kept her arms around his neck.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing, it's just that . . ." he sighed and stared down at her helplessly. "How long can we stay here? The temple warriors will track us back here, and there's no telling what they'll do. They might burn this village and kill the people for hiding us, Yuna."

His words sobered her instantly. Her arms dropped back to her sides and she took a step back from him. Tidus immediately regretted saying it. He wanted more than anything to have that smile back, her arms around him again. Mentally he slapped himself for being such an idiot. He had no right to make her unhappy, this night of all nights. For the first time she had looked truly carefree, as a girl her age should be.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. Somehow, even over the music and mass of voices, he knew she could hear him. "I shouldn't have said that. You were having fun."

"No," she said, closing her eyes. "No, you're right. We can't stay here long. I don't want to risk these people's lives after what they've done for us."

How sad she looked. Tidus reached up and touched the side of her face, offering her a soft smile.

"Still want to dance with me? I'm not ready to quit just yet," he said challengingly. She smiled weakly back, shaking her head.

"No, I think I need to sit down for a while anyway. I've been up on my feet all night," she said, pushing past him. Impulsively, Tidus reached out and caught her hand in his.

"I want you to enjoy yourself, Yuna," he said sincerely. She stared up at him. "You deserve it more than anyone."

To his surprise, Yuna went up on her toes and planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. He stood still, dazed at the warmth of her satin lips. It was an unexpected gesture, but one he did not mind in the least.

"Keep dancing," she said in a low voice. And then she moved away, disappearing through the crowd. Tidus watched her go regretfully, alone in the middle of a writhing mass of dancers.

A warm arm slipped around his neck. He turned around to find himself caught in the gaze of two swimming hazel eyes. The girl they belonged to was no less captivating, with flowing tresses of white-blonde hair and cream-coloured skin. She smiled beguilingly, and Tidus suddenly realized that she was naked from the waist up.

"Good evening, my lord," she said in a charmingly accented voice. "Care to dance?"

Tidus swallowed and nodded, trying desperately to keep his eyes from flickering downward. The enchantingly formal girl embraced him provocatively and began to dance, smiling into the side of Tidus' neck. Fighting the urges that were now flooding through him, Tidus wrapped his arms around her and allowed her to press herself unnecessarily hard against him. He could feel her unhindered breasts heaving against his chest. Had it been a week ago, Tidus would have been pleased with the situation.

"You seem troubled," the girl told him, her low voice almost hypnotic. Tidus closed his eyes and shook his head.

"How could I be troubled when I'm dancing with a girl like you?" he asked her in a strangely monotone voice, attempting weakly to regain some of his flirting nature. She chuckled throatily and tilted her head to the side, letting her silver-blonde hair tumble ethereally over her slender shoulder.

"Perhaps the handsome lord would tell me why he uses false words to mask what his heart feels?" she asked knowingly. Tidus nearly flinched.

"Forgive me," he said. "You really are beautiful, I didn't mean . . . It's just that . . ."

"Aida is listening, my lord," the young woman said patiently, her face nearly touching Tidus'. He watched her leaning closer to him through half-closed dreamy eyes. Great aeons, she was gorgeous.

"It's just that I . . . the Lady Yuna . . . I . . ." he stammered, suddenly losing control of his words.

"Hush," Aida said soothingly, placing a delicate finger over his mouth with a daring tenderness. Somehow she understood his uncertainty. "Tonight, let me fill her place for you."

He felt powerless, helpless as she pulled him down to meet her lips. There were a million thoughts and sensations running through him, and he could not even begin to sort them. All he knew for certain was that she was warm, and beautiful, and perfectly within his reach.

Aida pulled back slightly, smiling up at him with a satisfaction. She began walking backwards, her hands gently pulling him by the hips after her, carelessly cutting through the twisting crowd. As if in a trance, Tidus began to follow her, feeling the masculine stirrings that were often summoned in situations such as this, anticipating what was surely to follow. He was aware that they were drawing closer to the tree line, just beyond the festival gathering ring.

And then he felt it. A strange concentrated intensity on the back of his head, too powerful to ignore. He froze and whirled around, ignoring Aida's persistent hands on him. In an instant his eyes connected to a pair of shocked and hurt bicoloured eyes, blue and green jewels.

They were locked in each other's gaze for one eternal moment. And then Yuna lowered her gaze. Tidus was wracked with an overwhelming sense of regret and shame as he watched her turn away, striding quickly away from the festival ring. She disappeared, masked by the swirling dancing crowd, and Tidus was dumbfounded. Too many emotions were coursing through him. Too many thoughts and fears.

"My lord," Aida said in a coaxing voice. As if unable to move of his own free will, Tidus mutely followed her, still staring worriedly over his shoulder after Yuna's retreating form. He could barely even think straight. What on Spira had just happened?

Aida guided him into the trees. "Don't think of her," she said in a sultry voice. "Do you not desire me?"

"I don't know what I want," he said numbly. Blue and green eyes, glistening with hurt . . . He was dimly aware of her hands unlacing his dark green tunic. She was kissing the side of his neck, her lips warm and seductive. Part of him did not want to refuse the impulses he felt for this girl, but there were shadows in his mind, clouding his judgement, confusing him.

Aida pulled off his tunic and cast it to the mossy ground carelessly, running her hands up his stomach and over his smooth chest.

When her fingers began to trail down to his trouser ties, he snapped back into reality and shoved himself away from her, suddenly feeling violently ill. He could not lie with Aida, not when his head was full of blue and green eyes, questioning him ceaselessly.

The young woman watched him irritably as he gathered his tunic and put it back on, absently forgetting to tie it back up again. He had to find Yuna. He didn't know why, but he had to.

The rest of the village was chillingly empty. Tidus, now jogging, speedily made his way through the spacious dirt streets, his guilty heart pounding.

When at last he reached the guesthouse, he was worried to see that no lights shone within. Was Yuna in there, alone in the dark?

"Yuna?" he called in a hushed voice, stepping into the stone structure with cautious strides. It was as if he was tracking a wounded animal. The analogy made him smile bitterly. In a way, it almost seemed true.

"Yuna . . ." he said at last, entering the bedchamber. She lay curled up on the bed, her chin tucked against her chest, her knees bent up. Her arms were resting on the pillow by her pale face. In the darkness, a shaft of moonlight filtered in from the window and bathed her body in a glorious milky light.

He ached for her, for being the cause of this pain. Inexplicably, he knew it was his fault.

After hastily washing the paint from his face in a nearby water basin, he slowly and carefully crawled onto the bed behind her. He saw her muscles stiffen, but it was almost undetectable.

"Yuna," he whispered. She continued feigning sleep. Obviously she did not wish to speak to him.

He leaned over her, gazing in awe at her flawlessness, made more dream-like in the moon's pale light. Even after bathing her face, he could faintly detect her musky sweat smell, and it warmed his heart. Then he lowered his face so that his lips scarcely brushed her ear.

"For whatever I've done to hurt you tonight," he murmured, "I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

With a faint smile he saw her shiver at the feel of his hot breath caressing her ear. Then, he rolled over and turned his back to her, waiting for sleep to take him. He did not have to wait long in the silence between them, broken only by the distant sounds of music and singing.

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When Tidus awoke, he was surprised to see that it was still dark out. He could not have been asleep for more than two hours . . .

It then hit him, the memory of what transpired between Yuna and himself. He knew for a fact that something had indeed occurred involving the two of them, but what he was not exactly sure. Was Yuna upset at seeing him kiss that girl Aida? If so, why? Was it jealousy, or was it just plain shock? Tidus felt a cruel desire for it to be the former.

It was then realized that Yuna was not in the bed next to him as she had been when he fell asleep. The space she had formerly occupied was still warm, however. He lay his hand over it, letting his fingers catch the lingering essence of the girl who had lain there.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and then left the guesthouse, determined to find Yuna. All his instincts told him to do it, without answering his own inner questions as to why. It didn't matter why. He just wanted to do something, anything to erase the memory of those injured eyes piercing his mind.

Strangely enough, he was not surprised to see Lulu walking towards him, still decked in her High Priestess festival outfit.

"I was just coming to wake you," she said in her velvety smooth voice. "She's at the hot springs, just through those trees." He did not have to ask who she was talking about as she pointed towards the woods.

"Why are you telling me this?" he asked her, frowning in puzzlement. She just gave him a mysterious look, and bowed as she walked away, back towards the festival grounds. The party would last all night, and well into the morning. Tidus watched her go for a moment, still confused, but his sense of urgency pushed him forward again.

He made his way through the trees easily, and less than a minute later he could hear the sounds of running water. Quickening his pace, it was not long before he came to the edge of a steaming spring.

Yuna was sitting there, her back to him. Her slender legs were dipped in the water, but the rest of her appeared dry. Slowly Tidus walked towards her, and then sat down next to her. She did not look at him, but he was startled to see that her cheeks were red from embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I was acting foolish."

"I have no idea what happened tonight," he admitted. "But I think it may have been a simple misunderstanding."

She hesitated, finally turning to look at him with beautiful, questioning eyes.

"I wish I knew. I wish I knew why I was so hurt to see you kissing that other woman . . . I had no right to be," she said at last. "It is none of my concern who you bed with."

Tidus frowned, confused, and then realized how messy his already unmanageable blonde hair was, and that his tunic was still unlaced, revealing his bare chest. He felt like ramming his head into a tree trunk. How must he have looked to her?

"Yuna," he said quickly. "Nothing happened after that, I swear to you. It almost did, but . . . I left before things got out of hand."

"Really?" she asked, a spark of relief in her eyes. She quickly extinguished it and replaced it with a calm expression. "I see. You were right then; it was a misunderstanding."

"Right. But . . ."

"But what?"

He paused, wondering how to say it. "When that girl Aida tried to convince me to. . . you know . . . I just couldn't stop picturing your face when you saw me kiss her. I couldn't see anything else."

She stared at him, and he could see the warmth radiating in her. He could tell she was trying not to smile. They stared at each other for a moment, and then Tidus looked away.

"We never should have come here," he said quietly. Yuna lowered her face.

"I know. These people don't deserve to be put in danger. We should leave as soon as we can," she said sadly.

Silence.

"Tidus?"

"Yes?"

"That night, in your house back in Besaid . . . when I offered myself to you in payment for your services . . ."

He glanced at her quickly, urging her to continue with his curious blue eyes.

"Why didn't you take me?"

He sighed heavily and dipped his feet in the water next to hers. The heat felt nice.

"I don't know. Call it my gentlemanly ways, call it idiocy. I wouldn't have felt right being with a girl who didn't really want me."

She slowly turned and looked up at him.

"You're wrong," she whispered. "I wanted you."

Tidus felt his heart fly into his throat. He reached up to touch her face and then awkwardly dropped it.

"If I had known . . ."

An explosion behind them made the earth rumble, shattering the frailty of their moment.


	12. We Will Not Fail

"The village," Yuna gasped, taking off through the trees, Tidus one step ahead of her. Already she could see the terrible scarlet glow of fire and smell the acrid smoke. Already she felt the ground rumble beneath her feet. The screams . . .

When they made it to the tree line, Tidus' arm shot out to stop her from continuing further. Yuna's mouth dropped, and her eyes were wide.

The village was being razed to the ground. Giant globes of fire came hurtling out of nowhere, crashing into the huts and igniting the thatch roofs. The brick walls collapsed instantly under their force. Black shadows of the terrified villagers darted here and there, appearing as nothing more than dark shapes.

Yuna tried to hurry forward, every fibre in her body compelling her to help, but Tidus held her back firmly.

"Don't be a fool!" he warned, his eyes fixed in horror on the chaos.

"We must do something! We can't let this happen, it isn't their fault!" Yuna cried, trying to pull away from him. But Tidus was adamant. The rational part of his mind had not yet been smothered by boundless emotion.

"Yuna, we cannot!" he said quickly, gripping her shoulder. "We must leave now!"

"You coward!" Yuna screamed, swiping at his face. Her palm collided with his cheek with a loud smack, but Tidus ignored it. "You fiend! I will not let them die for us!"

Wordlessly, Tidus wrapped both arms around her waist and began pulling her back into the trees. It would not be long before the Yevonite warriors, who were no doubt the cause of the destruction, would begin appearing over the hill overlooking the village's ruin. Yuna kicked and struggled wildly, completely driven by her protective nature. Every single particle of her body was desperate to help, to keep the damage from spreading.

The heat of the flames was almost unbearable. Another blazing sphere, launched from one of the many catapults set up on the hilltop, came crashing down, smashing the small mud hut nearby. It was alarmingly close. Tidus continued dragging Yuna backwards, startled by her sudden burst of strength.

"Yuna, listen to me!" he said, releasing her only to spin her around, making her look him in the eye. "We can do nothing for these people, and we have to leave now. For the greater good of Spira! Do you understand?"

"I understand that these are innocent people," Yuna said frantically, turning towards the smouldering village. She hurled herself forward faster than he could catch her, and with disquieting speed she hurried towards the mayhem.

She had no idea what she planned to do. Any sense or reason that she had ever possessed seemed to have fled. All she felt was a mind-consuming rage, a sense of despair and helplessness.

A dark form limped was limping towards them, and Yuna instantly recognized the shape of Mistress Lulu, still adorned with her High Priestess headdress and makeup. Yuna stopped, ignoring Tidus as he caught up with her. She was leading their horse, whose wound had been patched up after she was rescued from the field. The saddlebags looked stuffed with supplies. The priestess' face was hard with wrath and sorrow for her people.

"Lulu," Yuna gasped, horrified to see a fierce wound in the woman's side, leaking down her dress. "You're hurt!"

"Tidus, take her and go!" the woman said sharply, throwing the reins at Tidus. He caught them swiftly with one arm, while keeping Yuna still in the other. The horse was tossing her head and stamping her hooves nervously, alarmed at the sounds of destruction all around.

A fireball of monstrous proportions broke itself over the guesthouse next to them. Both Tidus and Yuna jumped in surprise. It was then that Yuna realized that there were dark shapes moving down the burning hillside in perfect formation. There were many of them, at least three hundred. Yuna did not have to look at the dark red tunics to recognize the Yevonite Warriors. Her very soul knew it on sight. After all this murder and chaos, it was too late. She and Tidus would be captured, and the horrible Children of Light ceremony would continue undisturbed, claiming another life every year. All their efforts would have been in vain. All these lives will have been taken needlessly.

Her ears pounded with the sounds of marching booted feet. Every now and then a loud order was shouted, and another wave of flaming spheres descended upon the terrified village, and a volley of guns cocked at the ready to fire upon more innocent people.

Both Yuna and Tidus, while backing up, tripped over something on the ground. Upon looking down, Yuna had to cover her mouth with a hand to stifle a cry. It was Kohan, her beautiful dancer, dead on the ground. His soulful eyes stared emptily up to the sky. There was an arrow protruding from the centre of his smooth forehead, oozing crimson blood.

"My lady!" a voice shrieked. Yuna felt Tidus turn slightly, and she too looked to see the source of the voice. Lulu was already staring with agonized eyes. With a start, Yuna recognized the girl who had kissed Tidus, running towards them with a look of pure panic on her face.

"My lady, save m-"

She was forever silenced by the bludgeoning arrow that shattered the back of her head, sending the hapless girl flying to the scorched ground. Never would she rise again. Tidus was staring numbly at her body, his cerulean eyes wide with shock.

Somehow managing to straighten herself in spite of her injury, Lulu whirled around to face the oncoming soldiers, and Yuna could have sworn, even in that terrible moment, that she had never seen anyone look more terrible with rage than the High Priestess.

"Run. Both of you, now," she said in a dangerous voice. Even above the boom of explosions and the piercing screams, both of them could hear her.

Limp with defeat, Yuna allowed Tidus to lift her up into the saddle, mounting behind her. In an instant, he whirled the anxious mare around and sprinted into the welcoming gloom of the forest.

Desperate for one last glance at the place she had grown to care about, Yuna turned around to stare over Tidus' broad shoulder. All she could see was the heroic silhouette of Mistress Lulu, solitary against the wall of fire. She could see the pale blue Waterga spell gathering in the woman's hands. It was the last thing she would ever lay eyes on of the happiest place she had ever seen, as the peaceful village was brought to its knees in the still of the night.

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Minutes flew by like centuries. It seemed that no matter how fast and how long they rode, the screams and thundering explosions would never be driven from Yuna's ears.

"Stop," she whispered, her voice barely more than a hoarse whisper. She was going to be sick, and she knew it. "Please stop, Tidus." She did not care how far away from danger they were.

Immediately Tidus slowed the mare, but before the creature could even stop, Yuna had already slid down and staggered on her feet. She retched violently off to the ditch away from the path. Tidus dismounted silently, waiting for her to finish. He looked faint.

When at last Yuna ceased, she began taking slow, unsteady steps back to the waiting horse and young man. She didn't make it all the way to him before the overwhelming sense of anguish flooded through her.

Yuna sank to her knees and voiced a strangled cry. She buried her tear-streaked face in her arms, feeling as though she could barely breathe.

"They were innocent!" she choked, her voice uneven, uncontrolled. "Those people were innocent!" Her eyes lifted to the stars that peered so unassumingly down at them. She wished vehemently that her words could somehow reach the soldiers responsible for all the unnecessary death.

She wept out of grief for every life tainted by the sickening lies of the Children of Light ceremony. She wept because of fear for her life and Tidus', fear that they would fail this mission, and that anyone ever killed because of them would have died needlessly. She wept because she was sick and tired of running, of hiding. She wept for the faces of the people cut down before her, good people who had done nothing but open their arms to her with love.

She cried because she wanted more than anything to fade away rather than face the enormity of the task, placed on her young shoulders when it could have been anyone else in the world. It should have been someone else. It should have been someone stronger, wiser, and braver than she. She cried because she felt weak, unable to go on. She did not _want_ to go on.

Tidus suddenly knelt down in front of her and placed his hands on her arms gently. She lifted her head slowly, motionless as his hands moved up to cup her face. His eyes too were sparkling with tears.

"Yuna," he said in a wavering voice. "I swear to you that I will not let us fail. I will not let those people die for nothing. We will complete this mission together. Do you trust me?"

She swallowed thickly and nodded. "I . . . I trust you." To her own amazement, she meant those words. There was no lie in Tidus' moist azure eyes, no shred of doubt.

"Say it with me. We will not fail." He tried so hard to steady his voice.

"We . . ."

"Say it."

"We will . . . not . . . fail," she said, forcing the statement through clenched teeth.

"Again."

"We will not . . . we . . . will . . . not . . ."

But she couldn't go on! She couldn't keep the sobs at bay, didn't have the strength. She released a broken hearted whimper and lowered her face again.

Tidus could not stand it any longer. He pulled her close in a desperate embrace, holding her against his chest for lack of any other way to comfort her and himself. He pressed his face into her hair, letting his own tears fall unchecked for the first time in years. Before long he too was shaking, sobbing quietly, unable to escape the guilt of what had happened to the villagers.

She slipped her arms around him and cried into his neck, grateful, eternally grateful for his presence.

Any social barriers that remained between them disappeared instantly. There were no more boundaries, no more formalities. He was just Tidus. She was just Yuna. And this night, of all nights, they needed each other. Titles and status were only memories of the past. There was no more Lady Yuna, daughter of High Summoner Braska. There was no more Sir Tidus of the Yevonite Warriors. The two of them were completely exposed to each other, naked with raw emotion. Nobody else would ever understand just how great and terrible their suffering was for the bodies of blameless victims that lay burning for a cause they would never have known about.

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When at last Yuna found some shred of strength left inside, she managed to pull herself from Tidus' arms. She wiped her wet face with the back of her arm and allowed him to help her to her feet.

They said nothing to each other. There was no need for words. Rather, Yuna was relieved to simply bask in the silence, however sombre it felt.

For the rest of her waking years, Yuna would remember the night the village fell. She would remember the emptiness of Kohan's brown eyes, the terror on the girl's face as the bullet blew open the back of her head. She would remember the lone shadow of Mistress Lulu, standing bravely against an army of advancing Yevonite Warriors.

Yuna was faintly surprised to see the silver light of dawn spreading across the horizon to the east. She did not realize how exhausted she was. It seemed that all she felt was cold and hollow. It would be a while before she would allow herself to feel anything.

Tidus sat behind her in the saddle, stonily silent, as was to be expected. Yuna knew how difficult it must have been for Tidus to resist throwing himself forward to help the villagers. She knew how strong his protective instincts were. It was a miracle he had found the strength to pull both himself and Yuna away from danger. He was well equipped for a task like this . . . he knew to avoid the real threats and stay focused on the main priority. Yuna was too emotional. She knew it well enough without it needing to be said.

"Tidus," she said suddenly. "Thank you for keeping me safe. If . . . if it hadn't been for you, I would still be back there now."

"It's all right. I . . . know how hard it was for you," he said slowly. "It was hard for both of us."

Neither of them felt the urge to talk about their conversation at the hot springs before they were interrupted by catastrophe. Yuna wondered if they would ever touch on that subject again. Her face burned with the memory of Tidus' fierce eyes boring into her moments before they heard the screams coming through the trees.

Yuna closed her eyes tightly. The quiet solidness of him behind her, coupled with the gentle rocking of the horse's stride, was suddenly very soothing. Before she knew it, her eyelids had dropped, and she was lost in a deep dreamless sleep.


	13. Reprieve

The dying fires reflected eerily in a pair of cold grey eyes. Seymour Guado stood regally on the hill overlooking the ruined village, a cruel smile on his snake-like lips. The sun had barely risen, yet already it perfectly lit the scene of destruction before him. It did not matter that the remains of countless Yevonite Warriors littered the ground. It did not matter that the air was rank with the smell of blood and burnt flesh. He watched with smug satisfaction as his living troops fanned throughout the village and fields, searching for Yuna and that pest of a boy Tidus.

"The villagers?" Seymour inquired to a nervous-looking young lieutenant at his side.

"A-all dead, my lord, excluding the f-few who managed to run off," the young man said shakily, wondering if he was wise to mention those that had been lucky enough to escape.

Seymour merely nodded understandingly. It was no different from what he had expected.

"And the black mage priestess?" he questioned.

"She . . . unfortunately m-managed to escape with th-the last of the pagan warriors c-called the Shadowstrikes, my lord," the lieutenant stammered, bracing himself as if expecting a physical blow. Seymour's face hardened, but his voice was calm.

"What a pity. I would have enjoyed executing her for her witchcraft. The likes of her are an abomination to our Lord Yevon," he said with a shrug. "Tell me, lieutenant, dare I presume you have the brains to do _anything_ right?"

The young man flinched slightly at the rebuke, but said nothing in response. Seymour contemplated viciously backhanding the lieutenant, for lack of anything better to do, when one of his captains came jogging up the hill.

"My lord Seymour, we've searched everywhere. The lady Yuna and that traitor Tidus are not to be found," he said, slightly out of breath.

Seymour swore through his teeth, delivering a swift kick at the captain's stomach.

"Imbecile!" he snapped. "Get your men out and hunt them down! None of you shall go home to your bastard children until my commands are carried out, understand? Go!"

The captain, biting back a groan of pain, limped away to summon the riders. Seymour watched him go with a grimly amused glint in his iron eyes. He did so enjoy this role of power.

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A few minutes after Tidus realized Yuna was asleep, he led the horse into a small clearing just off the path. Gently he pulled the slumbering girl from the saddle and lay her down in the moss beneath a tall tree, arranging her comfortably. The moss was so thick that it felt even more comfortable than an actual bed mattress. Tidus did not feel it was safe to build a fire, since he was not entirely certain how close behind the Yevonite Soldiers were.

In the silver light of dawn, Tidus sat down near Yuna's still form against the tree, quivering with anger. It was not fair. It was not fair that he and Yuna were alive, and decent people had been murdered no more than three hours ago in the name of a sham ceremony. The young man closed his eyes to fight the images engraved eternally in his memory, and in doing so he fell asleep against his will. He had meant to keep watch while Yuna slept on, but his mind was exhausted from the night's events. It was too much for him to handle at the moment.

His head drooped, and his eyelids closed. Thus he was embraced by the sweet darkness of unconsciousness.

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_Only love can defeat evil._

Tidus' eye flew open as his dream faded away.

"Mother . . ." he whispered, wiping his upper lip with the back of his hand. He was sweating, shaking. Desperately he tried to recall the rest of that dream, but nothing came to him. He could remember not a single detail other than the last few moments of it.

"Tidus?" Yuna murmured, opening her mismatched eyes. Tidus jumped with a start and looked down at her, a foot away from him. Her face was drowsy, but she was coming more and more awake as the seconds flew by. It was hard to believe that not long ago her tranquil face had been twisted with anguished grief.

"Did I wake you up?" he asked, sitting upright from the tree trunk.

"I heard you mention your mother," she replied, yawning. She too sat up, stretching. Morning dew clung to her hair and eyelashes. "I suppose we should be moving off anyway."

"Agreed."

"Did you get enough sleep?"

"For now, at least. We should hurry up. I don't want to stay here too long."

She nodded and rose to her feet with him, and waited patiently as he mounted the grazing mare. He pulled her up behind him, and the two of them set off down the dusty trail once again.

As his mind wandered lazily, Tidus suddenly remembered the conversation he had with Yuna at the hot springs, seconds before they heard the sounds of attack. His face burned. Had it not been for those screams piercing the night, who knows what he would have said to Yuna?

"If I had known, I would have taken you in a second."

The young man was glad he had never finished that sentence, even though he wished anything but the screams and explosions had interrupted them. He was mortified that he could have said such things to Yuna, and was thankful that the subject would likely not return.

He felt close to Yuna, as if there was no gap between them. It is hard for two people to go through an experience like that and not emerge as close friends.

Perhaps more.

There was no doubt in Tidus' mind that he felt something for the young woman that reached beyond simple friendship. Whether it was just a powerful attraction or a heightened sense of protectiveness, he could not tell. All he knew was that he could not stand the idea of Yuna making this journey alone. He could not stand the idea of her being captured and tortured, then given to Sin like the other chosen ones before her.

"What's wrong?" Yuna asked, cutting into his thoughts. "You've gone so rigid."

"Uh, nothing," he stammered uncomfortably. "I just, um . . . have a sore back."

Brilliant work, Sir Tidus.

Yuna fell silent, after voicing a moue of sympathy. Tidus felt like kicking himself for such a lame response, but it was best to let the subject drop.

"Do you think the Yevonite Warriors are close behind?" she asked after a while of quiet riding. Tidus frowned thoughtfully.

"They could be. Then again, they might still be back at the village searching for us," he replied. Either way, he slightly increased the horse's speed.

"I hope Mistress Lulu and Captain Jardo made it out okay," she said softly, as if talking to herself.

"I'm sure they did. Jardo would never let anything happen to Lulu," Tidus replied cheerfully. "Even after all the wine he drank, there's no way he'd lie down and let the Yevonites hurt her."

Yuna giggled softly, though it was edged with bitterness. Nevertheless, it was a welcome sound after hearing her mournful cries. Tidus smiled at the memory of the drunken captain ambling around, blinking slowly and muttering under his breath about 'damn breeches, always chafing'.

For some time, Tidus allowed his mind to wander, remaining careful to keep one ear open for any sounds of danger. Yuna too seemed off in her own thoughts.

What a pity that such a task was brought down on two young people who never really had a chance to live before their time. The sad thing was knowing that if they failed, their names would be erased from history, and nobody would ever remember them or admire their efforts. The Children of Light ceremony would continue unchallenged. More and more people would die as years passed.

Tidus was suddenly aware of something wet on his back. It only took him a second to realize that it was Yuna's tears, as she struggled to stifle them between his shoulder blades. His heart ached for her.

He pulled the mare to an abrupt halt and dismounted swiftly. Yuna quickly wiped away her tears and then stared down at him, clearly puzzled.

"Why are we stopping?" she questioned.

"I think we deserve a quick vacation, don't you?" Tidus asked, bringing the joviality back to his tone. "Just one day of relaxation. We've been traveling hard for a while now. What do you say?"

Instantly a relieved smile graced her features. It was as if she's been straining a muscle inside, and suddenly released it. She slid down from the saddle and walked alongside Tidus into the forest as he led the horse after them. Tidus noticed she had a slight spring in her step once again, and was careful to do the same. Half of him was sighing with frustration at himself, saying that they should continue moving ahead in case the Yevonites are close behind. But the other half, the half he felt more inclined to obey, wanted nothing more then to sit down and unwind. He was tired of the gruelling mission. He was tired of long rides and short rests. He was tired of seeing the pain in Yuna's eyes.

They moved deep into the woods, careful to remember landmarks that would lead them back to the trail. The forest was dense, and the going was somewhat slow, but Tidus could already feel the stress leaving him. He heard the sound of running water.

At last they found a good site to rest at. It was a deep rocky pool with a tall waterfall cascading into it. The area around it was mossy, lush and green, with an almost rain forest-like quality. Yuna voiced a soft laugh of wonder, approaching the rocky pool with a sort of reverence. Truly, it was a beautiful setting.

Tidus' eyes lingered on Yuna's bare legs and slender curves as he absently tied the horse to a low-hanging branch. She was still wearing the short brown dress given to her back at Cedrann. It revealed more of her body than Tidus was used to seeing, even though he himself had been the one to change her clothes after being attacked from the fiend and getting his own blood on her. Like a gentleman he had focused his attention away from her breasts and smooth flat stomach.

It didn't hurt to look, right?

However, he quickly averted his gaze when Yuna glanced back at him over her shoulder. When he looked back, he saw with surprise the same playful grin she had given him when they were dancing at the Festival of Brenjaka. It was most enticing.

Without warning Yuna launched herself forward, diving head first into the pristine waters of the rock pool. Tidus smiled at her fun and moved to stand at the edge to wait for her.

After a few moments, it struck Tidus as very odd that for some reason Yuna had not yet risen. He frowned and leaned over the water to look for her dark form, but he found nothing. Dropping to his knees, his eyes desperately continued to search for her.

"Yuna?" he called nervously.

He did not have time to pull back before a glistening body shot upwards from the once mirror-like surface, before two arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him down into the water.

He had closed his eyes. He opened them now and found himself staring into two mischievous bicoloured eyes, so very close to his. She was smiling at him impishly, holding him close to her as the two of them sank further down, keeping her forehead resting lightly against his. He could feel her heartbeat against his chest, and he slowly slipped his arms around her middle. Their legs were pressed against each other, their ankles intertwined. Her cinnamon brown hair floated ethereally independent from her head, swirling around Tidus' face.

When he somehow managed to tear his gaze from hers, Tidus realized with a start that the rocky pool's depths were very different deeper down.

They were surrounded on all sides by walls of bright crystals, pale purple and white, catching the faded shafts of sunlight that filtered down to their level. Tidus stared wondrously at the jewelled world he had plunged into. It was beautiful, beyond beautiful. The reflected light fell over himself and Yuna, and Tidus could not help but turn to face her again. She was alight with dream-like majesty, mystical in the glow of the amethysts.

Had he been physically able to do so under water, Tidus would have gasped at the sight of her, immortalized in his memory. She stared back at him, her wide mismatched eyes shimmering.

He was sorry to leave that scene, but Tidus was suddenly aware of his overpowering need for oxygen. At the same moment, he and Yuna kicked up from the bottom of the pool and emerged gulping the air. Tidus pulled himself up out of the water and collapsed onto the soft moss, panting. Yuna fell next to him on her back, staring hazily up at the morning sky. She was still beautiful, adorned with beads of water as her wet hair clung to her face and neck.

"I needed this," she said softly, breathing heavily. Tidus rolled onto his back as well, conveniently forgetting to be angry with her for worrying him.

"We both did," he replied.

Some time later Yuna stood up and retrieved their haversacks, which Lulu had restocked before the attack. It still confused Tidus. Had Mistress Lulu known her people would be ambushed? Had she somehow foreseen the tragedy, but did nothing to warn the villagers?

Yuna sat down cross-legged next to Tidus and handed him a slice of bread with a hunk of cheese, as well as some salted pork. He accepted gratefully and tore into it, growling animal-like. She giggled and did the same, snarling as she shoved the food into her mouth.

"So . . . what do you plan to do after you defeat Sin?" Tidus asked suddenly. His own question surprised him. He had no idea where it came from. Yuna paused and blinked at him, taken aback.

"I don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead, I suppose," she said thoughtfully. "I suppose I could go back to Besaid, and get a place of my own. I've always wanted to live right on the beach. I had to spend nearly all of my time in the temple, and if I ever got to go anywhere, I always had to be accompanied. I almost never had a moment to myself," she said slowly, absently. Then she shook her head, as if clearing unwanted thoughts, and turned to face her companion, who lay on his side propped up on one elbow.

"What about you? What are your plans for the future?"

For a moment, Tidus considered telling her, "I plan on having you move in with me in my house on the beach. I'll give you as much alone time as you want. You can go out on the beach any time of the day."

Instead, he replied, "I have no idea. I could go back to Besaid and get a job coaching blitzball to the kids. Maybe I'll move back to Zanarkand. We'll see what happens."

Yuna nodded understandingly and rose to untie the mare so that she could drink from the pool. Tidus watched her silently. He watched as Yuna smiled at the horse, leading her with ease over the mossy terrain, speaking softly to the animal. He watched the sunlight glinting off her damp hair, lighting up her jewelled eyes.

'There is no way I am in love with her,' he thought suddenly, almost desperately. 'No way in Spira, after less than a week of knowing her. I can't be in love all of a sudden.'

Why, then, could he so readily imagine living with her in his house on the beach?


	14. Dream Demons

Yuna felt truly at peace, for the first time since the whole journey began. She had been having fun at the festival, before the tragedy had occurred, but it was different from this feeling. She felt calm and refreshed. All thanks to Tidus' consideration.

It was dark now, as evening set in. The two of them had spent the entire day there, relaxing in their temporary paradise. Yuna sat with her back to a firm tree, in moss so thick she couldn't feel the ground beneath it, gazing dreamily up at the emerging stars. Tidus was preparing a fire, now that it was dark enough not to fear having their smoke seen from their followers.

The mare was lying in the moss next to Yuna, her silver-haired head nestled close to her onyx-hued body. Yuna reached down and pet the creature affectionately. This horse had borne them through danger and was always loyal.

"I think you need a name, my friend," Yuna said softly. The horse's ears flickered at the sound of the woman's voice, but she let her eyes remain closed lazily.

"What do you think, Tidus?" she called to her companion. "Shall we name this beauty of ours?" He looked up from his flint stones.

"Good idea. I'm terrible at thinking up names, though," he admitted, striking up a spark. He immediately nursed it to life, adding fuel to it skilfully. In moments, a small blaze appeared. Yuna paused to think. What name was worthy of such a fine animal?

"What about Kyrida?" she suggested after a moment of contemplation. "It's a word in one of the Old Tongues, meaning 'Born of Thunder'."

She watched as Tidus stood up from the fire and went to the rocky pool. He dipped his fingers in the water and then strode towards the sleeping horse. Kyrida opened one eye and regarded him languidly. Tidus flicked a few drops of water on her soft black pelt theatrically.

"I christen thee, Kyrida, noble steed of Sir Tidus and Lady Yuna," he said in a dramatic voice. Yuna giggled as the mare flinched indignantly at the offending drops. She snorted and shook her mane in irritation.

Yuna was taken aback, however, when Tidus suddenly crouched down to her eye-level.

"It's nice to hear you laugh again," he said with a combination of deep sincerity and delight. Yuna, momentarily breathless at his unexpected proximity, could only stare back at him.

"I'll try to do it more often then," she managed to reply, smiling at last. He grinned back and rose to his feet again, turning back to the fire. Yuna watched him root through their haversack that Mistress Lulu had restocked. He froze, and then pulled out a crossbow.

"Wow, Lulu really knows how to provide," he said with astonishment, turning the weapon over to get a closer look at it. "I was just thinking how much I wanted a bow and arrow to hunt with!"

"Maybe she foresaw the desire," Yuna suggested, stretching luxuriously against the tree trunk. Tidus found some arrows to load into the crossbow and then shouldered the weapon, as well as taking up his cobalt blue sword.

"I'll be back soon. I'm in the mood for some fresh meat tonight," he said with a festive wink. Yuna nodded and watched him go with a content smile on her face. Fresh meat did indeed sound like a good choice for the night.

"If you need me, just whistle!" Tidus told her as he began heading towards the trees. Yuna blinked at him.

"Whistle?"

"Yeah," he said, pausing. "You know how, right?"

She shook her head, embarrassed. The priests had never liked loud noises in the temple, and outside it had been too awkward to make such sounds in the company of solemn bodyguards who would find no amusement in it as she would. Thus, she had never learned how to whistle. Something so common and simple had been denied from her childhood. Up until now it had never been a large concern of hers.

Tidus set the crossbow down on the ground gently, and then jogged towards her with a spring in his step. His face was kind, yet amused.

"Well, I won't leave you here defenceless. Put your two fingers in your mouth . . . li' dis," he said, promptly demonstrating with his own fingers. Yuna frowned and tried to copy him.

"No, no, like this." Tidus reached over and adjusted her fingers. Yuna felt the heat rise to her face as his hand folded over hers, gently correcting her position. His nearness was tantalizing, his warmth soothing.

"Now blow," he instructed. Yuna questioned the idea of making a loud sound when they were possibly being pursued, but she didn't want to ruin the fun. Obediently she blew against her fingers, only to hear a breathy silence. Tidus laughed at her attempt.

"It's not funny!" she protested, punching him lightly. She was grinning through her embarrassment.

"You'll get the hang of it, you just need practice," Tidus said, sobering up as best as he could. "Now, I should be back soon." He paused, and then added, "Remind me to teach you how to use your dagger. There may be a time when I won't be able to come running if you whistle for me."

Yuna smiled and watched him go, waiting until he was out of sight before she tried practicing the whistling technique one more time. The full impact of his words did not hit her until after he was gone.

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She awoke with a start. Something had stirred her from her light nap, but what she was not sure. A short time ago, just after Tidus left to go hunting, she had dozed off, lulled by the gentle sounds of rushing water. Frowning, Yuna sat up and looked around the dark clearing. Her senses were buzzing with danger, but she could see nothing.

Nearby, the mare, newly named Kyrida, was standing rigidly with her ears flickering around to detect any threatening noises. Her tail swished in agitation.

Yuna recognized the horse's body language. She felt a nervous sweat break out over her skin, and she moved to stand near the alert animal as if for comfort. Aside, from the water splashing into the pool, the dark forest was eerily quiet.

"Tidus, hurry back," Yuna whispered, resting her hand on Kyrida's sable fur. She did not like the suddenness of her voice interrupting the disturbing silence.

'I need to keep calm,' she thought, reaching for her dagger. It had been strapped to Kyrida's saddle, which Tidus had graciously removed for the animal to relax. It was lying close by. Yuna felt slightly more in control now that she had a weapon in hand, even though she barely knew how to use it.

For her own peace of mind, she tried swinging the blade around experimentally. It made a satisfying swishing noise, cutting through the air gracefully.

"That won't protect you from us, missy," a deep voice said gruffly.

Swallowing a startled shriek, Yuna whirled around. Her blade swung with her, and clanged to a sudden stop against someone else's sword. The sword's owner was a seasoned-looking warrior wearing a dark crimson uniform.

It didn't register what she was seeing. She couldn't speak or move. All Yuna could do was stare numbly at the triumphantly grinning Yevonite Warrior, who held his blade against hers.

And then, she reacted purely on instinct. She whistled.

She moved faster than the warrior had expected. In the blink of an eye she had her fingers in her mouth and blew as hard as she could, expelling an ear-splitting whistle that pierced the night. Kyrida neighed shrilly and reared up as another warrior materialized and tried to grab her halter, bringing her powerful hooves against the man's skull. He crumpled to the ground soundlessly, darkening the moss around him with blood.

The horse's actions spurred Yuna into action. She thrust forward with her knife tip, but the move was clumsy, and the Yevonite Warrior before her easily sidestepped it. Yuna lost her balance and staggered forward, but she swung outward as she moved. The man parried it, a cruel smirk on his lips.

Desperately her eyes searched the forest around them for an escape of some sort. Which direction had Tidus left in?

"Don't try to run, milady," the soldier said in a condescending tone, knowing her intent. "There are more of us waiting just beyond the trees. They'll catch you before you take ten steps. If you come peacefully, we promise we'll leave you unharmed."

"Liar!" Yuna snapped, dropping to one knee and shoving the blade downwards. The soldier's eyes widened as his foot was impaled to the ground. His ragged scream was bone chilling as he tried to grab at her, but she had already pulled out the dagger back and drove it into the man's throat. His hot blood poured out onto her arm, flooding her all the way up to her shoulder. He fell forward with a faint gurgle, landing soundlessly in the moss.

Another scream rang out behind her, but it was cut short. Yuna turned around to face the trees, bloodied knife held out at the ready.

One more cry sounded out, but it too died quickly. Other voices began gathering in panicked shouts, and then there was the harsh clang of metal sword against metal sword.

Yuna was more than confused, but she kept her eyes on the dark trees with frightened determination.

At her left, a Yevonite Warrior came dashing out of the tree line, twin blades swinging wildly. His face was twisted with anger and fear. Yuna watched him run at her, frozen in place with shock. When he was only six feet away from her, an arrow shot out from the trees and imbedded itself into the man's back, ending his life with a dull thud. He fell to his knees, wide-eyed, and then collapsed. He did not move after that, nor would he ever.

There was then a moment of terrible silence, more horrifying than the screams of the dying villagers from last night. Yuna stood motionless in the pale starlight, her arm burning with spilled blood, her hands trembling at her sides.

"Yuna?" a hushed voice called out. She nearly sobbed with relief as she saw Tidus slowly emerge from the forest. His spectacular blue sword was coated with something dark and shiny. There was an angry-looking cut across his chest. The crossbow hung limply in his hands, empty of any more arrows.

She sagged to her knees and sighed heavily, not realizing how long she'd been holding her breath. Tidus hurriedly moved towards her and dropped his weapons before he kneeled down in front of her.

"Are you all right?" he asked, panting softly. She nodded her head, but they both knew she was lying. Tidus' knowing eyes fell to the dead soldier behind Yuna, and the blood drying on her arm. Carefully, he helped her stand up again and led her to the rocky pool. Kyrida stomped her hooves and tossed her head, alarmed at the heavy smell of death in the air.

Tidus guided Yuna into the water and helped her scrub off the blood with a handful of sand. She seemed to be in a daze, her awareness focused completely on the fresh corpse. She had turned a living man into a heap of dead flesh. She had never killed anything in her life. Even as a child she never stepped on any insects or went fishing.

A man was dead because of her.

The gentle fingers cleansing her arm seemed to reawaken her mind. Her eyes shifted from the body to Tidus' understanding face.

"I . . . he . . ." she stammered quietly, gesturing vaguely to the corpse. Tidus nodded.

"I know," he said soothingly, pulling her out of the water. Yuna noticed him wince with pain, and she realized for the first time that he was injured.

"Here, let me help you," she said, politely forcing him to sit down on the moss. Her senses were returning rapidly now. She banished all thoughts of the crime she had committed and kept her attention on the task of healing her companion.

Yuna helped him remove his green tunic and inspected the gash in his chest. She did her best not to secretly admire the firmness of his muscles, her fingers itching to touch them.

"It's not too deep," she said at last. "I can heal it quickly."

He nodded and sat still as she positioned herself in front of him, placing both her hands against the cut. His blood was warm under her palms, and she was momentarily mesmerized by the rhythm of his heart.

As she had done during her training at the temple, she closed her eyes and concentrated her healing energy through her hands and into Tidus' chest. She heard him sigh softly as the coolness entered his wound, eliminating any infections and filth before fusing the skin back together.

It took only a minute to fully heal, and Yuna was slightly reluctant to pull her hands away from him. She was keenly aware of how close she was sitting to him. In fact, she was placed right between his bent knees, and her arms brushed against the inside of them. Her face heated slightly and she stood up.

"Thanks," Tidus said, also standing up as he slipped his green tunic back on.

Now that her task was out of the way, Yuna found herself staring down at the Yevonite Warrior's newly decaying body. She swallowed thickly and rubbed her arms as if for warmth. It was unsettling, the way the man's jaws hung open slightly, how glassy his brown eyes were as they stared up at the sky.

"You didn't have a choice," Tidus said quietly from behind. His hand was resting kindly on her shoulder. "It was either your life or his. You did the right thing, Yuna."

Odd, how pleasant the sound of her name was on his voice.

With a weary sigh, Yuna turned around and leaned her forehead against Tidus' shoulder, wanting to feel its solidity. His arm came up around her neck and he rested his chin on top of her head.

Yuna was already accustomed to the feel of his embrace, but the sensation never ceased to touch her deeply. She never felt safer anywhere than lost in his arms. Gradually, as it always did when she was placed so intimately in his hold, the universe seemed to narrow down until it stopped just beyond their two joined forms.

Neither of them said anything more that night.

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Yuna did not sleep well for the remainder of their little 'vacation'. She tossed and turned beneath her cloak as she lay nestled in the soft moss, her mind swirling with bad dreams.

Occasionally she felt Tidus' hand touch her hair. It calmed her down, and for a time her slumber would be untroubled. But she could not fight back the demons of her subconscious for very long. They would always surface from the darkness of her mind to haunt her. She dreamed of fire, of screaming people being burned alive while convulsing under a rain of bullets. She dreamed of the blood coating her arm spreading over her body and then filling her lungs with its sick sweetness, drowning her slowly. After these images overwhelmed her, she would jump awake, sweat-soaked and trembling violently.

When at last the sun rose, she gave up all hope of getting a good sleep and waited until Tidus awoke. He slept closer to her than usual, no doubt fully aware of her tormenting nightmares. His concern for her warmed her heart, and she smiled at the tranquility of his face. She rarely ever saw him sleep while she was awake. Usually he was the first person to rise, considerately allowing her to sleep for an extended amount of time.

His bronze skin was smooth in the light of dawn, so inviting to touch. The light danced off his flaxen hair, and his lips were parted slightly. What a vision he made, like a fallen god of old.

Yuna shivered in the early morning chill, aware of the dew soaking through her cloak. She shifted closer to Tidus and revelled in his body heat, the smell of him.

He stirred suddenly, unexpectedly. Yuna watched him closely for any signs of awakening. His eyes were still closed, but his face was drawn slightly with a look of concern, or perhaps fear.

"Mother . . ." he murmured. His breath wafted over her face gently, and he then lay still. So he was still asleep, and dreaming as well.

Lightly, Yuna reached up to touch his face. She smiled slightly to see his expression softening, and finally relaxing. Were his dreams as troubled as hers? If so, what did he see? Did he have visions of his tortured mother, lying weakly for Sin's taking?

"Sleep on, Tidus," she whispered. "I'll keep your demons away, just like you did for me."


	15. Assassin

"Tell me, lieutenant, that you have some good news for me," Lord Seymour said in a dangerously polite tone. He stood in the middle of Mistress Lulu's now empty and ransacked home, curling his lip with disgust at her rustic furnishings. The stammering young officer now appeared calm and confident.

"My lord, it appears that the Lady Yuna and her companion Tidus are moving west towards Bevelle," he said, for once leaving out his nervous blunders.

'Just as I thought,' Seymour thought to himself, picking up a chalice made of gold. He admired it in the light for a moment, chuckling with satisfaction at his own foresight. Of course Yuna would be foolish enough to think she had the power to put a stop to Sin. Of course she would take it upon herself to go to Bevelle and fight it.

"Good work, lieutenant. Tell the men to take the day off. You've all been working so hard," he said indulgently, patting the young officer's cheek as though her were a child. The lieutenant sighed with relief.

"Yes sir," he said, bowing low.

"Lord Seymour!" a loud voice called from outside. Seymour frowned and walked outside to meet the call, squinting in the afternoon sunlight. He did not like the agitated tone of that voice.

One of his young captains came hurrying towards him, panting and sweating with exertion.

"My lord," he gasped, coming to a halt with a quick salute. "We just found General Yamat and his unit."

"Well it's about time. Where is the idiot? I sent him out hours ago!" Seymour said with an exasperated sigh. The captain hesitated for a second.

"He's dead, my lord. The whole unit is dead. We found them in a clearing by a waterfall," he said, bracing himself for the Guado's rage.

"_What?_" Seymour exploded, grabbing the captain by the front of his crimson jacket. "How could all of them be _dead?_"

"I-I'm sure I don't know, lord!" the captain whimpered, squeezing his eyes shut fearfully.

"Find Tremath!" he snarled, delivering a sharp kick to the young captain's side. "Send him to me at once!"

The shaking captain scrambled away as fast as he could, clutching his side where Seymour's boot had hit him. Tentatively the lieutenant came to stand next to the heavily breathing Guado.

"Tremath, my lord? A-are you sure we can t-trust him? His reputation is-"

"Lieutenant," Seymour snapped, cutting him off, "if I want to take down a target the right way, I'm going to need the best assassin. Tremath may have questionable tendencies, but he is the best bounty hunter in the land. If the price is right he will do what I say."

"You mean to . . . to kill the Lady Yuna, Lord Seymour?"

"No, you imbecile," Seymour sighed, rubbing his temples. "Lady Yuna is to be left unspoiled. It's that son of a bitch guarding her I want taken care of."

The young man gulped and nodded, backing away with a smart salute.

A few minutes later, while Seymour had time to stew in his own rage, a dark cloaked figure suddenly materialized at his side from the trees close by. The Guado did his best not to jump with surprise as he turned to greet him.

"Good afternoon, Tremath," he said coolly. Two bright eyes stared back unblinking. The figure nodded once, his actions slow and methodical like the spreading of blood through water. "I have a job for you."

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_Only love and defeat evil._

It was his mother's voice . . . calm and soft, like the ebbing of an ocean tide. It washed over Tidus warmly, bathing him in a pale glow. If only he could see her face! He could only catch a few traces of her features, but she was always hidden from him. What did those words have to do with him? What kind of message was she trying to deliver through his dreams?

Last night after a brief rest, Tidus and Yuna had abandoned the rocky pool clearing and rode for quite some time in silence, concentrating on getting as far away from that area as possible. No doubt the bodies left from the attack had been discovered by now. They had stopped in a small glade with a creek running through it shortly before dawn for dinner and another rest. Tidus had fallen asleep beneath a tree, his head resting on Kyrida's saddle.

"_TIDUS!_"

Yuna's terrified voice cut through Tidus' slumber. His cobalt eyes flew open and for one second he lay frozen at what he saw.

There was cloaked figure leaning over him, and Tidus caught the silver flash of a dagger hovering above his chest. Two ghastly pale eyes glared down at him with a malicious glint. Flash of teeth bared in a cruel smirk from the black depths of the cloak hood.

The warrior instincts kicked in just in the nick of time. As the cloaked assassin drove the blade down, Tidus rolled to the side, still somewhat disoriented from sleep, and grabbed one of Yuna's twin daggers from the ground. Where was his sword?

"Yuna, run!" he yelled, leaping to his feet and thrusting forward with his weapon. He was not used to being startled so easily, and he felt momentarily weak with shock. Yuna was standing waist deep in the nearby creek, naked from bathing. Her expression was a mask of fear as she stood rooted to the spot, watching the fight unfold. Kyrida the black mare was tossing her head in alarm, tied to a tree branch across the glade.

A sickening thought came to Tidus as he ducked another blow from his attacker. If the assassin were to kill him, nobody would be left to protect Yuna. The notion fuelled his anger, and with a guttural roar he charged forward. His opponent jumped to the side and took a swing at Tidus' side. He nicked the skin, but only just. Tidus heard a soft chuckle come from the cloaked figure, and it chilled him to the bone. He caught a glimpse of two pale eyes peering at him with sadistic glee. The man moved swiftly and nimbly, but always with an undisturbed grace. He was like a black wraith made of fog and shadow.

"Go, Yuna!" Tidus cried again, seeing that she had not moved. His voice startled her out of her numbed state. She hurried out of the water and quickly threw on her short brown dress. Then, with a grim expression she grabbed her other dagger and began advancing on the assassin.

The cloaked attacker glanced quickly over his shoulder at the swiftly approaching woman. He knew she was inexperienced from Seymour's description of her, but he was still unprepared to take on two armed people. His skills were primarily stealth, not melee. He was also tired from tracking the two of them all night. He had made the mistake of underestimating his target, and now he had to worry about dodging the Lady Yuna's attack. The Yevonite Warrior Tidus was giving him enough trouble as it was. Besides, he was given strict orders not to touch Yuna.

Yuna shoved her dagger at the assassin and nearly managed to drive it into his shoulder, but he quickly dodged and parried the blow. His insipid eyes slid over her, and he smiled grimly under his disguise. She was certainly a beautiful specimen, and possessed an almost foolish amount of courage.

"Lord Seymour sends his regards, my lady," he said in his softly chilling voice. Yuna growled in outrage and stabbed wildly at him. Laughing, he leapt out of her reach and narrowly avoided a hit from Tidus.

Tremath began backing up towards the forest. It was too risky to take on both of them at once, when only one of them was the real target. He would follow them and wait until dark. No doubt one of them would be keeping watch, but he had ways of keeping people unaware of his presence.

"I will spare your miserable life if you get out of here now," Tidus snarled, narrowing his eyes.

The assassin sheathed his dagger and bowed extravagantly to his prey. Then he raised a gloved hand and pointed at Tidus, before making a cutting motion with it across his throat. The message was unmistakable.

And then the cloaked killer was gone, fading into the trees like a ghost.

The second he was gone, Yuna dropped her dagger and hurried to Tidus.

"Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?" she asked breathlessly, her eyes roving his body to check for wounds.

"He nicked me in the side, but it's nothing serious," Tidus said, allowing her inspect his shallow wound. She nodded once and bit her lip. It was then that Tidus realized how pale she looked, how frightened she was. He could see that her hands were shaking slightly.

"Seymour sent that man," she said gravely. "I-I was bathing in the creek, but when I turned around to come back ashore and wake you up, I saw him standing over you with a dagger, and . . . Oh, Tidus, if he had killed you-"

"Shhh," Tidus interrupted, gently touching the side of her face, smiling kindly. "Don't say it, okay?"

She nodded and touched the back of his hand with her own, smiling back thinly. Her hair was still wet from bathing, and she smelled wonderfully clean.

"You saved my life," he told her, his eyes peering into her seriously. "This isn't the first time you've looked after me."

"It's the least I can do for my brave guardian," Yuna replied, her grin broadening.

"I'm going to take a quick bath and then we should get going. I don't want to stick around for that assassin to find us again," Tidus told her. She nodded and went to retrieve a biscuit from one of the haversacks, careful to keep her back turned.

Tidus waded into the creek, naked, gasping slightly at the icy water. Yuna had kindly allowed him to use her specially formulated shampoo, and he lathered it into his golden locks thoroughly. It smelled like wild flowers and fruit . . .

He bathed hastily, scrubbing his skin and hair clean in the pristine water, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to watch Yuna. She politely refrained from watching him in turn, keeping her attention focused on grooming Kyrida and feeding the mare an apple.

When Tidus emerged from the water, she waited for him to dress, and turned around to smile at him as he shook the drops from his hair.

"How close are we to Bevelle?" Tidus asked her as he saddled Kyrida. Yuna tied the haversacks to the saddle and allowed him to lift her up onto the horse's back. He climbed up behind her and clucked his tongue, signalling Kyrida to move forward.

"Still quite a way," Yuna said with a sigh as they set off down the narrow trail. "It will be a while before we get there."

"Where are we headed next?"

"First we must cross the Moonflow River, and after that the Calm Lands. We continue on from there through the Rammvena Desert, and then the Gagazette Mountain Range," Yuna replied, speaking from memory. "Bevelle is about a two day journey from the mountains after that."

"Rammvena Desert? That sounds like an Al Bhed word," he mused out loud.

"It is. It means 'Hellfire'. I don't suppose that's a very reassuring name for a desert," Yuna replied with a small laugh. "But I am told there are a few small oasis' there. Perhaps we can take shelter with some of the Al Bhed clans while we pass through."

"You mean . . . stay with the Al Bhed?" Tidus asked, startled. Yuna turned around in the saddle to look up at him.

"Of course. They are very hospitable people. It's part of their custom to provide shelter for travellers passing through their territory," she said matter-of-factly.

"Yes, but . . ." he faltered, frowning in thought. He was not sure how to voice his own thoughts. Yuna raised an eyebrow.

"I know what you're thinking," she sighed. "The Al Bhed-"

"-Are not our enemies, yes, I know," Tidus cut in, sighing to himself. "But . . . it's going to be hard for me to appreciate their use of forbidden machina."

"It is not our place to judge their ways," Yuna said simply, turning back to face the front. Tidus raised his eyebrows at the back of her head, puzzled by her coldness. He guessed that perhaps he had touched upon a sensitive subject for her. Still, he could not understand why she was being so defensive of the Al Bhed.

"What do you believe in, Yuna? You've known about this whole conspiracy for weeks. Has it changed your faith at all?"

Yuna was silent for a moment, but when she spoke, her voice was very small.

"I . . . I never really believed anything. I suppose the only things that really mattered to me already existed. I had my father, food and shelter, and I lived in a peaceful place. I never knew my mother, so she was no great loss to me. But when my father left, I . . . I could never bring myself to believe in anything. I don't trust gods and spirits anymore, Tidus. I learned to . . . put faith in myself first, and those around me," she said softly. "It's not easy sometimes. There are times when I wish I could believe in some kind of god to explain the things I don't understand, but . . . I just can't. There is nothing out there that can give me peace."

Tidus' heart went out to her. He could not comprehend how hard it must have been for her as a child, never believing in something greater, never knowing the comfort of faith.

"What about you? I can't imagine this whole thing has been very easy for you to accept," she questioned, glancing at him over her shoulder.

He shrugged and shook his head. "I've never really believed in Yevon, at least not in the conventional sense. The way the temples portray him, is . . . not exactly what my heart tells me. I only joined the Yevonite Warriors because I thought it would prove the answers I needed. I do believe in Yevon, but I've managed to find my own path to him."

They rode in peace for a while, each mulling over their own thoughts.

"Yuna?"

"Yes?"

"How did your mother die?"

She sighed softly.

"She . . . was sick. She died a long time ago, when I was little more than an infant. Most of the time she didn't have the strength or energy to take care of me. I was told that . . . she died very peacefully. She held me in her arms when she passed on in her bed," she said in a distant voice.

Tidus was not sure whether or not he should say something in response. Instead, he just nodded, though Yuna could not see it behind her.

"But, my father was always there for me," she said in a brighter tone. "He and I were always together, up until he left for his pilgrimage. I remember the day before he was to leave . . . he filled my room with lilacs while I was sleeping, and he woke me up by holding one of the flowers under my nose. We spent the whole day together on the beach then, gathering shells and stones to make necklaces for the orphans in the temple."

"It sounds wonderful," Tidus told her gently, smiling at the image of it in his mind.

Braska must have been a truly great man, if he could raise such a great daughter. For a moment Tidus contemplated saying that to Yuna, but it was then he noticed her shoulders were shaking with silent tears. Slowly, tentatively, he wrapped his arms around her waist and embraced her gently. Her hands came to rest over his gratefully, and not another word was said.

In the forest nearby, two pale eyes watched closely from the trees, peering from the depths of a black cloak hood.


	16. Silent Forgiveness

They rode for a while in silence. Yuna relaxed in Tidus' arms that still surrounded her middle, leaning her head back against his chest and watching the sunlight dance off the path before them. Her thoughts kept drifting to the sight of that cloaked assassin standing over Tidus, dagger drawn at the ready. It had been hours ago, but the image of it in her mind still made her stomach clench with nerves. She couldn't remember the last time she'd ever felt so scared. What if he had been killed? What would she do if she lost him? Amazing how quickly she had developed a deep bond with this young man . . . even more amazing was how fast she had come to depend on him for the strength to go on. More than once on this journey she found herself wanting nothing more than to curl up into a little ball and disappear forever rather than face the end of this task. It just wasn't fair. She was young; she could have had her whole life ahead of her. What were the odds of her surviving this mess? What good was she doing, charging off blindly into danger, dragging Tidus along with her?

Yuna sighed softly and closed her eyes, trying to shut out these doubts. Tidus believed in her . . . why could she not believe in herself?

The sun was beginning to set, and soon they would stop for the night. Yuna was looking forward to sleep, and her stomach growled suddenly in hunger. She had not eaten much all day. Behind her, Tidus chuckled.

"I guess that's our cue to stop," he said lightly, dismounting with ease and leading Kyrida off the path.

"I'm fine, really-" Yuna began to protest, but Tidus held up his hand and cut her off.

"Don't worry," he told her with a smile, "I'm ready to stop too. Tomorrow I'll teach you how to use that dagger properly, and then we'll move on."

He had selected a natural clearing, as they were accustomed to habituating during their brief stops. Only this clearing was bigger than the others, and the ground was harder. A small pond sat placidly in the centre, mirror-like and still. For the first time since the journey started, the two companions found themselves needing to pull out their sleeping furs. Before, they had always been content to sleep on the soft earthy moss that seemed to cover the entire land.

All the while they were setting up camp, Yuna could not shake the feeling that they were being watched. She knew Tidus felt it too, because every now and then she caught his eyes searching the trees around them. Neither of them said anything about it, but Yuna was certain they both had the same fear: the assassin was close, far too close. She shivered impulsively, and Tidus gave her a quick, understanding look.

While Yuna was routing through one of the haversacks for a loaf of bread, her hand instead came into contact with a small glass jar. Frowning, she pulled it out to inspect it in the dying light as Tidus unsaddled Kyrida. The container was filled with a dark red powder that almost seem to shimmer on its own.

"What is that?" Tidus asked over his shoulder, staring at it quizzically as he led the mare towards the pond for a drink. Yuna twisted the lid off and sniffed experimentally. At the pungent odour, she coughed and sneezed violently, her eyes stinging.

"I don't believe it," she choked, wiping at the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand. She recognized that smell from long ago. "It's smoke salt!"

"Smoked salt?" Tidus queried, blinking in confusion.

"No, _smoke_ salt. Oh, Lulu, that wonderful woman!"

"What exactly is smoke salt?" her ally asked again, ignoring Kyrida's lips tugging at his shirt to get his attention. He had stopped walking just short of the pond's edge, and the horse could not yet reach the water.

"It's an ingredient that stifles the smoke from a fire," Yuna explained quickly, holding the jar up to the dying light. "I've only seen priests use it in the Prayer Chambers, since those rooms don't have ventilation . . . It's very rare, and expensive. I wonder how Lulu came across something so hard to find."

"Well, it'll definitely come in handy," Tidus said with a grin, dropping the rein to let Kyrida drink freely. "What do you say we get a fire going and try this salt stuff? I could sure go for some cooked food right now. I saw some fish in the pond that look ripe for the picking."

Yuna smiled back and nodded, handing Tidus some flint from the tinderbox as he set up the stone ring. Moments later he struck up a flame, and Yuna quickly pulled out a pinch of smoke salt. She sprinkled it over the flame and waited to see if it would work. Sure enough, the fire turned a dark shade of red, and then flickered back to its original orange colour. No smoke drifted upwards to be seen by any pursuers.

As Tidus waded into the pond, he removed his shirt and held it at the ready to snatch up a fish like a net. Kyrida stood nearby, dozing upright and occasionally snorting in her sleep. The fire was warm and brought a welcome sense of comfort, and Yuna hugged herself with a faint smile on her face. It was bizarre, this feeling of complete freedom. She had spent her whole life in the temple, and now that she was finally away from it and surviving on her own (_Well, not completely alone,_ Yuna thought to herself, her eyes darting back towards Tidus' poised figure), it was only to be caught in a web of conspiracy and danger. She was literally on a mission to save not only her life, but also the lives that still lay captured in Sin's core, and the potential lives sacrificed for Seymour's greed.

Yuna sighed and lay down on her sleeping furs, gazing at the pale stars just emerging in the evening sky. She recognized the constellations, after many astronomy classes back in Besaid . . . she remembered the sweet sense of liberty as a child, staring up at the heavens. She would dream of flying up to the sky to sit among the stars, escaping the cold confines of the temple for good. In a way, part of that fantasy had come true. At least she was away from the island, and on a mission few could even imagine. It was sort of exciting to think of it like that, but Yuna felt an immediate stab of guilt. Once more she lapsed into memory, thinking of those horrible screams the night the pagan village was attacked. Lulu's black silhouette facing a horde of hollow-eyed killers in crimson coats . . . Kohan's blank face . . . the girl Tidus had kissed falling to the ashen dirt, her bloodied skull fragments landing around her like grotesque puzzle pieces . . .

The young woman shut her eyes and shook her head briefly, as if trying to shake the thoughts from her mind. It still made her stomach clench to think of that night . . . her skin felt unclean, knowing that she was the cause of it. If only she had shut her mouth and quietly accepted her fate as a Chosen one . . . then she never would have begged Tidus to help her, and ultimately she could have saved those villagers . . .

"Yuna?"

She opened her eyes with a start and saw Tidus crouching next to her, a fat silver fish on one hand. His face held traces of concern, and Yuna realized that she must have been 'thinking visibly' again. It was term her father used for her when she was little, since her emotions were always written so plainly on her features.

"You feeling okay?" Tidus asked, grinning crookedly down at her. Yuna licked her lips and smiled in return, nodding.

"Yes, I . . . I'm fine," she told him, sitting upright. He did not look entirely convinced.

"You don't look fine . . ." he said suspiciously. Yuna licked her lips again, a familiar nervous habit.

"I suppose I just need to eat something," she replied weakly, patting his arm reassuringly, when in reality all she wanted to do was throw her arms around him and tell him every doubt and fear nagging at her heart. He still eyed her uncertainly, but she did her best to make it obvious that he did not have to worry. At last he rose to his feet and picked up the fish, heading towards the fire.

"Well, if you're sure," he said to her casually. "Wow, it's been a while since I've had fish."

"I know, me too," Yuna jumped in, eager to change the subject. "I haven't had any since back in Besai-"

She stopped instantly, biting her lip as if to prevent any other words from escaping. Tidus hesitated beside the fire, his back turned to her, and then began cleaning the fish out. His gestures were deliberate and fierce, stabbing his dagger into the body almost viciously. Yuna swallowed and looked away from him, her face burning with embarrassment. The last thing she wanted to do was to remind them both of the island, but the words had come unbidden.

"I miss it," Tidus said quietly. It sounded as if he was speaking in a dream; his voice was so quiet and distant. "Besaid, it . . . it was my home. I was happier there than I ever was in Zanarkand."

Yuna sucked in a sharp breath. Homesick tears well up in her eyes, but she blinked furiously to rid herself of them. Her heart lurched with guilt.

"Me too," she murmured softly. Her life in the temple may have felt almost like a cage, but Besaid was a beautiful, peaceful island. It was a wonderful place to call home. "I'm sorry, I-"

"No," Tidus interrupted, rotating his upper body to look at her. "Don't apologize. It's good to remember. There's no need to be sorry."

Yuna searched his eyes for any hint of lies, but he turned away from her before she could come to any sure conclusion.

"We should take turns keeping watch," she said after a hushed moment. He nodded his head once, but he did not look at her again.

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Hours later, Yuna felt a gentle hand shake her awake. She moaned softly and opened her eyes only to find darkness. Then she caught the blue gleam of Tidus' eyes, and she realized that it was her turn to keep watch. Much as she objected, Tidus had firmly ordered her to get some sleep first, and that he would wake her at sunrise. Yuna wondered just how much sleep Tidus had on this journey . . .

She watched him from across the dying embers of the fire, his face alight in an orange glow. He looked tired, but peaceful. The very second he lay down and pulled a cloak over himself, he had fallen into a deep sleep. Yuna smiled slightly at him. How beautiful he was, how gentle his features seemed. To think, an assassin's blade could have taken away all that tranquility, that beauty-

A twig snapped behind, and Yuna jumped to her feet with alarm, pulling her dagger out automatically. She stood frozen for a few minutes, her eyes scanning the gloom of the forest around her. When she heard nothing more, she breathed a soft sigh of relief and sat down again. Still, she kept her sword unsheathed. It was comforting to know that soon Tidus would teach her how to use it properly.

Suddenly, Yuna heard a soft murmur from across the fire. She looked up to see Tidus' once peaceful expression was now twisted with what looked like fear. No, not fear . . . desperation. Helplessness, perhaps? Frowning, Yuna stood up and walked around to kneel at his side, peering down at him. He stirred, and then moaned again. It looked as if he was trying to see something important. It occurred to Yuna that it was very odd for her to be so certain what he was thinking subconsciously.

"Tidus . . ." she whispered, resting her arm on his shoulder. "Tidus, wake-"

"Mother!" Tidus cried, sitting bolt upright. His hands came up and gripped either side of Yuna's face. She tried to pull back, unnerved by his abrupt movement, but his wide blue eyes were locked onto hers hypnotically. They were glazed over, still lingering on the dream he was having. He held her firmly in place, his lips so close she could feel his breath ruffling the hair that fell across her face.

Gradually the mist began to dissolve from his eyes as he came more and more alert. He blinked, and then stared at Yuna as if seeing her for the first time.

"Mother, she . . ." he muttered, slowly releasing Yuna from his grasp. Her flesh felt curiously warm where his hands had been.

"What about her?" Yuna questioned gently, noting that Tidus was still leaning remarkably close to her. "What about your mother?"

"I . . . she . . ." he stammered, running his fingers through his flaxen hair. He looked almost confused. At last he seemed to regain full awareness, and he sighed heavily. "Nothing. Forget it," he said quietly, dropping his gaze.

"This was not the first dream you've had of her since this journey began," Yuna told him carefully, her fingers itching to reach out and touch his face the way he'd held hers. "Perhaps . . . perhaps there is some sort of message?"

"I hear my mother's voice in my dream, and she . . . she says 'Only love can defeat evil'. That is all I can remember. Everything else before it is just a dark haze," he said, closing his eyes at the memory.

"Think hard," she urged. "Surely you can remember something else?"

"Nothing," he replied grimly, shaking his head. "I only hear my mother's words, and then I wake up."

"But reoccurring dreams always have some sort of meaning," Yuna insisted, frowning in thought. "Perhaps if you had some time to think-"

"Don't you think I've tried?" Tidus snapped, interrupting her. She blinked at him, startled by his temper. "I've been thinking about it ever since I first dreamt it!"

"I don't mean to pressure you," she said softly, trying to calm him. "But I have the strangest feeling that this is of great importance, Tidus. You must try harder. Think. What could possibly have come before you heard your mother's voice?"

She did not have time to react before his hands shot out again, grabbing her by the arms. His nails dug into her skin painfully, and he was shaking her almost brutally.

"Damn it, Yuna!" he snarled, tightening his grasp. "You don't get it! The first dream I've ever had about my mother since she died and I don't remember a single thing other than her voice! I can't even see her face!"

"Tidus, please!" Yuna gasped, her neck snapping back and forward by the cruel shakes. Her head felt as if it was about to fall off by the sheer force of it.

"I can't even see her eyes, Yuna! And I know she's trying to tell me something but I – just - don't – understand!" he was saying.

"Tidus! Stop!" she begged, struggling to free herself. Her stomach was reeling with fear, a sensation she had never expected to feel in Tidus' presence.

It seemed then that Tidus finally understood what was going on. The shakings stopped instantly, and his hands fell away from her arms. His eyes bore into Yuna's face, wide with shock at his own actions. He was breathing heavily and his skin looked rained of colour. Yuna crawled backwards away from him, her arms burning with pain. Her neck felt weak and made of rubber . . . her head seemed too heavy to hold up properly. She too was panting, trying desperately to calm her racing heart.

"I . . . Yuna, I didn't . . ." Tidus breathed, his voice sounding eerily small. He opened and closed his mouth, but no other sound came out. He swallowed thickly and glanced down at his hands as if they were loathsome rodents. When he looked back up at her, Yuna was dimly shocked to see disbelieving tears in his eyes.

"Yuna . . ." he whispered, his mouth trembling. "Please . . . I didn't mean to . . ."

Instantly her heart melted. Any trace of fear or even anger evaporated, and she reached for him. He pulled her to him so that she was practically straddling his lap, and pressed his face in her neck, shaking. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close, letting him feel her pulse, how calm it was. Her lips found the side of his face, and she kissed him a few times to tell him in some voiceless way that she forgave him. His arms clung to her around her middle, and he shook against her as she stroked his back. She was whispering to him, small simple words that she was barely aware of saying. It did not matter. Somehow she wanted him to know that all was well between them, that she did understand his pain.

When at last they found the courage to pull away, Yuna offered him a gentle smile. He tried to smile back, his arms still circling her. With a tenderness she did not know she possessed, Yuna cupped his face in her hands and brushed his tears away with her thumbs, and then leaned down to kiss him between the eyes.

His forehead was warm under her lips, and he remained still for a moment. Then, before she could withdraw, he tilted his face up so that his mouth just barely brushed hers. For one heart-stopping second, Yuna truly thought he was going to kiss her, and she had no idea how to prepare for it.

He seemed to hesitate, his gaze flickering between her eyes and lips. Then, rather than do what Yuna thought he was going to do, he merely closed his eyes and sighed, letting his head drop down to rest against her shoulder. Yuna swallowed the disappointment cutting through her.

She too closed her eyes, and held onto him, with no intention of letting go.

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Just beyond the tree line, a pair of icily cold eyes watched the whole episode with grim indifference.

Tremath was not used to failure, but he learned to get over interfering emotions such as anger and frustration quite rapidly. He had not meant to step on a damn twig and snap it while Lady Yuna kept watch. As her eyes peered into the trees, looking for signs of danger, he'd held his breath and remained absolutely still so as not to be discovered. It was only fear and uncertainty that kept Yuna from exploring the noise further, and Tremath thanked his lucky stars for that. It would have been completely tactless to advance on her while she had her eyes fixed on his location. Rather, it would be wise to wait another night and approach more carefully, so that he could slit that damnable Yevonite Warrior's throat while her back was obliviously turned. Tremath was renowned for such a talent.

He smirked slightly at the sight of the two young people embracing. How innocent they seemed, how unaware. It was almost heartbreaking to know that a merciless killer was standing just beyond that lovely little exchange, carrying a blade that would soon be painted with blood.

But not tonight. Alas, not tonight . . .


	17. At the River's Edge

Tidus awoke in Yuna's arms. For a moment, he was confused. He did not understand why they were so close together, why her arms were around him so protectively. His head was resting against her chest, and her scent filled his nostrils. He breathed in deeply for a moment, wanting to drop off to sleep again. The morning sunlight was warm on their two bodies, and birds were beginning to trill. Everything felt fresh and new . . . like the calm after a raging storm.

And then his eyes fell to the faint bruises on each of her arms. They looked like hand marks. In an instant the events of last night came rushing back. The way he'd shaken her so brutally, the way he screamed at her in his own selfish anger; the terrified glint in her eyes, her shocked expression at his aggressive attack . . . but she'd forgiven him. It made his throat tighten to think of it all.

He must have fallen asleep before her, because the last thing he could remember was her voice telling him not to worry. In his mind he could picture her, lying awake as she held onto him. He thought of her lips placing delicate kisses on his face, in his hair . . .

Suddenly he felt Yuna stir next to him and moan once. Glancing up at her, he saw her eyes begin to flicker open, and gradually the misty drowsiness left them. Her gaze lowered to him, and for a second she merely stared at him.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep," she said softly. "It was my turn to keep watch, wasn't it?"

Tidus didn't say anything, although he knew she was referring to keeping watch for their new friend, the assassin. He merely smiled up at her warmly, too relaxed to worry about it.

They lay there for another few minutes in comfortable silence. Then Tidus felt the need to speak again.

"I am sorry," he told her quietly. "Last night was . . . unacceptable. I shouldn't have hurt you like that, when you were only trying to help."

It was difficult to say those words, but it was also in a way a relief. He had been unable to voice his apology when it mattered the most. Now it seemed so . . . inconsequential. She sighed against him, her breath ruffling his hair slightly.

"The fault is mine. I never should have pushed you like that. I'm sorry for upsetting you in the first place," she replied. Tidus began to protest, but her finger moved down to brush his lower lip, silencing him.

"I forgive you, all right?" she said firmly. Her eyes twinkled softly. "Please Tidus, stop worrying. It's all in the past now."

Touched by her words, Tidus could only nod silently.

"But, you can make it up to me by teaching me how to use that dagger you gave me," she added, somewhat mischievously. "I can't make you fight all my battles for me, now, can I?"

'I would do anything you ask of me,' he wanted to tell her.

Instead, he just grinned and rose to his feet, pulling her up with me. He walked over to Kyrida's saddle, which was slung over a tree branch, and pulled out Yuna's blade from its sheath. He tossed it to her, and she caught it deftly by the handle.

"All right," he said with a challenging flourish. "Let's see what you got!"

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Tidus was amazed. Over the course of two hours, Yuna's skill increased amazingly well. She was already moving with the grace and confidence of a moderately trained warrior, and she seemed to have little to no trouble blocking his outlined attacks. There were still a few areas she could improve on, like her slightly hesitant strikes, but her defensive manoeuvring was notably brilliant. At least she would be able to protect herself reasonably well, should the two of them ever be separated in the face of danger.

"Well done!" he panted, slightly out of breath. He lowered his sword, signalling a stop. "You're a fast learner."

She swelled at his compliment and saluted him.

"I have a good teacher," she said genially. He smiled back and went to the pond for a quick drink. When he reached the water's edge, he knelt down and was startled to see his reflection. He had not glanced into a mirror since he left Besaid with Yuna on the airship.

His hair was bleached an even lighter shade of gold, and his skin seemed to have tanned more. There were slight dark shadows under his eyes, making his stare look even more intense and alert. The faintest hint of stubble appeared along his jaw, but he did not need a shave any time soon. Still, he looked healthy enough, and he smiled vaguely at himself. Only a week had gone by, however. A lot more than appearances could change in any given matter of time.

"We should reach the Moonflow this evening if we leave now," Yuna said behind him, already saddling Kyrida. Tidus nodded and cupped a handful of water to his lips, drinking deeply.

"Then let's eat breakfast along the way," he offered.

"I thought you'd never ask," Yuna said with a blissful sigh. "The idea of food never sounded so good. I'm starving!"

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As the hours passed, Tidus became more and more aware that the forest was thinning out, that the earth was becoming much softer. There was less moss, but the dirt was somewhat moist underfoot. The horse's hooves made a faint squelching noise in the ground, and the air was getting slightly humid. Every now and then Tidus would feel a tingling nervousness, a sense of being watched. Grimly he remembered the assassin, who was no doubt tracking them close behind. To break away from another bout of anxiety, spoke to Yuna, who had been half dozing against his back.

"We must be getting close," he said to her. He felt her nod against him. She too must have noticed the geographical changes in their environment.

A few times other travellers would pass by, at which point Tidus and Yuna would pull out their cloaks from the haversack and shield their faces from sight, offering polite waves or nods of greeting to the strangers. Nobody stopped them or tried to get a closer look, thankfully.

Sometime in mid afternoon, they came to a crossroad section. There was a sign at the road fork, with different arrows pointing down different trails.

"There," Tidus muttered out loud to himself. He had spotted the sign that said 'To Moonflow River'.

The two of them had spent the day on horseback talking on and off, occasionally enjoying a temporary reign of quiet thought. The more time Tidus spent with Yuna, the more he came to realize how easy it was to talk to her. He could say something completely idle and irrelevant to her, but somehow it would turn into a full-fledged conversation that could last for over an hour. Growing up, Tidus had always been very friendly to other children, but he was cursed with awkwardness, especially during first introductions. Wakka was the one who was good at breaking the ice. People naturally were drawn to him, and part of his charm worked its way onto Tidus. As he grew older it became somewhat easier to talk to people, but there was still a constant air of stiffness, a sort of uncertainty that he could never seem to be rid of. It was more noticeable when he spoke to girls.

With Yuna, it never occurred to him that he should be embarrassed of saying anything. In fact, she seemed to even share the same sense of humour as him, the same opinions. Then they would debate about the things they disagreed on until they came to a satisfying compromise, which always ended in laughter. He found himself talking to her about things he'd never even told Wakka about. He spoke about the tension he felt between himself and his father, the pain of moving from Zanarkand to a small isolated island, the loneliness he felt during his Yevonite Warrior training . . . he opened up and shared his intimate secrets and innermost thoughts with her. It warmed him to know that she was doing the exact same thing.

He would lose himself talking to her. When there was a lull in conversation it shocked him how much time had flown by. Odd that he should bond so deeply with a girl he only knew for little more than a week. Vaguely he wondered if she noticed how close they were becoming as well.

"Do you hear that?" Yuna asked suddenly, cutting into his contemplative state. He jerked back into awareness and listened for the sound Yuna had discovered. After a moment of straining his ears, he realized that he was hearing running water.

"It's the river," she supplied, voicing his same conclusion. He could hear the smile in her voice. "I knew we'd make it before nightfall!"

The Moonflow was a popular place for tourists and picnics, so the two of them wisely pulled their hoods up over their faces once more. As Kyrida carried them through the ever thinning trees, Tidus frowned as a realization hit him. By now they should have seen running water, or heard the soft bellow of shoopuffs crossing to the other side. True, they could still hear the rushing water, and it was even growing louder, but why could they not see the river itself?

When at last they emerged from the now sparse forest, they found themselves standing on a rocky shelf protruding over the swirling waters. Tidus dismounted and walked towards the edge, confused. Carefully he peered over the ledge, and automatically wished he hadn't. His biggest fear had always been heights, and the drop below the ledge to the river was at least fifty or sixty feet. Swallowing, he tried to calm himself and assess the situation, taking a quick step back from the edge. He had never seen the river look so tumultuous . . . it was always known as a calm, placid waterway, perfect for holiday swimming. Perhaps they did take a wrong turn somewhere after the crossroad sign, but where?

"This doesn't feel right," Yuna muttered, coming to stand next to him. The wind from the turbulent river rushed upwards, pushing her hair around ethereally. Tidus sighed and shook his head.

"I guess this is a part of the Moonflow nobody ever comes to," he said lamely, his eyes resting on the other side of the river. He was met with another cold grey wall of rock, topped by another meagre forest. This section of the river was surprisingly narrow, but it would still take an incredibly strong swimmer to make it across without drifting too far down the powerful current. Yuna leaned far out over the edge to look for any sign of a bridge, below or on either side of them.

"I don't see any way to cross," she said at last with a frustrated sigh. Tidus wished she would step away from the ledge. The sight of her hair and dress whirling in the wind so close to plummeting down fifty feet made him feel ill.

"Yuna, would you mind, um . . . backing up a bit? Please?" he said pleadingly. Yuna blinked at him in surprise, and obeyed his request.

"Sorry," she said with a meek smile. "I forget it makes other people uncomfortable."

"Just don't want you to fall," Tidus said, blowing a sigh of relief. He paused in thought as Yuna moved away to tend to the horse. "Well, I guess we should turn around and find a way to cross over. At least there's nobody around here."

"Let's rest here for a while," she suggested, pulling the haversacks down to search for food. Tidus nodded and unsaddled Kyrida as Yuna found the smoke salt.

"Is it just me or does this stuff add a bit of flavour to the meat?" Yuna wondered out loud, holding the jar up to him.

"You know, I was just going to mention that myself. Kind of spicy, I think," he responded, grinning crookedly. She smiled back and nodded in agreement, striking up a flame.

They ate while discussing the strangest and most disgusting food they ever tried. Yuna was in the middle of describing a particularly nasty blend of goat meat cooked with raw brussel sprouts and anchovy oil when Tidus was struck with a fit of laughter.

"And you actually ate it?" he cackled, wrinkling his nose at the same time. She nodded and giggled along with him.

"I was nine," she said with helpless mirth. "The other children of the temple said I had to prove how brave I was! If I didn't eat it I would have 'shamed the name of my family'."

"Well, that can't have been as bad as the time I ate fried zucchini topped with caramel and mustard," he said triumphantly. Yuna gagged on her beef jerky and struggled between coughing and laughing incredulously.

"You didn't!" she hacked, pounding her chest to keep from choking.

"I did," he said, leering at her and licking his chops hungrily. She hurled a hunk of bread at him and it bounced off his nose. "Hey!" he cried, flinching as it made contact. "Oh, you'll pay for that . . ."

Yuna squealed as he squirted water at her from his water skin, and then retaliated by returning the favour with her own bag.

"Have a taste of your own medicine, mister!" she cried jumping to her feet, hitting him directly in the mouth. He coughed and spluttered dramatically, and then moaned as if in pain.

"Oh, curses!" he gasped in a mock wounded voice, crawling on his knees. "You have injured me beyond repair, woman! I'll never recover . . . agh! It . . . it burns . . ."

Yuna fell back to her rear end, clutching her sides as she laughed uncontrollably. She eventually 'took pity' on him after managing to regain some shred of composure.

"Well, you deserved it!" she said, scooting around the fire to grin down at him. "Didn't you ever learn not to hit a lady? I'm not sorry one bi- ack!"

Her taunt was cut short when Tidus reached up and flipped her onto her back, pinning her down by straddling her over the hips and holding her wrists together in one hand. In the other, he held his water skin over her, and promptly emptied its contents onto his victim's face.

"No! Ack! Stop!" she managed to gasp between coughing and laughter. "Tidus, cut it out! This is (giggle) completely (cough) undignified!"

At last the water was completely used up, and Tidus tossed the skin aside, almost weak from hilarity. It was a miracle he was able to hold onto her wrists so tightly.

When the laughter finally subsided and a new silence emerged from the fun, Tidus found himself still positioned conveniently on top of her, his hands clasping hers. The amused smile slowly faded from Yuna's expression. The dying light caught the water droplets sliding down her face and neck, and for a moment neither of them could think of anything to say to each other. The stillness was not uncomfortable, but it was . . . bizarre. It felt as if the world had stopped turning. It was like . . . the only thing that really existed anymore was right between the two of them.

Whatever it was that was happening, Tidus still felt no urge to move, and Yuna gave no sign of objection. She lay perfectly motionless under him, their eyes locked together, filled with countless unvoiced questions.

Then (and he would of course regret this), Tidus cleared his throat. Yuna bit her bottom lip and blinked for the first time since he cast aside his water bag. His face burning with mortification, Tidus slid off her and offered a quick hand to help her up as well. He noted that her face was also tinged with red, but she accepted his help and allowed him to pull her upright. Again their hands lingered together, and Tidus found himself mesmerized by the warmth of her flesh. He saw her swallow.

"Uh, I have to, um . . . I'll be right back," she said suddenly, breaking the tension. Tidus did not ask her where she was going, since he figured she was probably just going to relieve herself. Wishing for a landslide to crash on top of him, he watched her march quickly into the thin forest until she was out of sight. Unfortunately, because the trees were so few in number, Yuna had to walk far for privacy, and it did not occur to Tidus that the assassin could still be out there until she was gone.

He slid an agitated hand through his hair and blew a sigh of discontent. He was overreacting. She would be fine. After all, the assassin had come to him first, right? Maybe Yuna wasn't the one he was after in the first place.

At that thought, Tidus moved to pull out a weapon, just in case. One of Yuna's daggers was sticking up out from the haversack, and he quickly withdrew it, watching the light dance off the razor-sharp tip.

"Finally that insufferable woman is gone," came a chilling voice from behind. Tidus froze. That was certainly not Yuna at his back.

"Seymour sent you, didn't he," he said through clenched teeth, calming his racing heart. Slowly he turned around to see the tall, gaunt figure swimming in a black cloak. He caught a glimpse of two ghostly eyes piercing him eerily.

"Shrewd guess," the bounty hunter said in his infuriatingly soft manner. "Yes, it was he who paid me to kill you. You've become quite a thorn in Seymour's side."

Tidus gripped the dagger tightly. He knew the assassin could see it in his hand.

"It was you," he said suddenly, realization dawning on him. "You set us up! You led us here so you could kill us . . ."

"Very good. You are smarter than you look," the assassin purred. "I switched the signs at the crossroad so that you and the Lady Yuna would walk down the wrong path, and then I changed it back after you passed by. Nobody will arrive anytime soon to save you, I'm afraid. But I only intend to kill you, my boy. Tremath is a man of business. He only kills who he is paid to kill."

"What are you going to do with Yuna?" Tidus demanded. His skin crawled as the cloaked man voiced a hissing laugh.

"That, my boy, will be none of your concern when you are dead."

With that, the curved dagger whipped out from the assassin's robe and was hurled at Tidus' chest. Tidus, reacting swiftly, ducked and heard the knife whistle past him over the edge. He then realized that his back was to the cliff. Already the attacker was nearly upon him, having unsheathed a new dagger. He cut and hacked almost wildly at Tidus, but never did his movement seem desperate or angry. It was cool and calculated. Tidus felt the numbing twinges of fear. At least Yuna was away and safe for now. She could run on foot to find a crossing, make the trip to Bevelle alone. She knew the way . . .

"Tidus!" he heard her familiar voice cry. It echoed almost painfully throughout the narrow river canyon. Yuna had come back from her brief disappearance, and even as he dodged and parried ever blow from the assassin, Tidus could see the rage growing inside of her.

"Yuna, stay back!" he called, swinging viciously at the assassin's face. He managed to make a shallow hit in the man's cheek, earning him a hiss of indignant anger. The assassin pulled out a second hidden dagger and made a cheap shot towards Tidus' ribs while dually slashing at his throat. Tidus, momentarily confused by the ploy, did not notice Yuna rushing to his aid until she appeared out of no where, ramming into the bounty hunter's side and knocking him away from Tidus. Tremath the assassin grunted with surprise as he staggered backwards, being pummelled fiercely. Nobody seemed to realize that the two grappling opponents were moving far too close to the edge, but then Tremath gave a muted shriek of dismay as his foot went over the ledge. He clasped the front of Yuna's dress and pulled her down after him.


	18. Enter the Al Bhed

Solid ground fell away from under Yuna's feet. Unable even to scream, the young woman felt herself being dragged roughly over the edge of the cliff, still grappling with the assassin. Wind whistled upwards all around her, and the deafening crash of water drowned out every other sound. Time seemed to slow down almost to the point of standing still. She felt paralysed. Lifeless. Numb. The assassin was clinging to her, his black cloak flapping wildly independent from his body. Yuna could dimly see the shape of his mouth open in a wide, voiceless cry. His hood concealed every other part of his face.

She hit the water with a violent splash, landing painfully on her side, knocking the wind from her lungs. The water was ice cold, sending shockwaves all over her. Instantly she was sucked down further, shoved mercilessly against rocks and sunken logs. Struggling vainly to kick her way back up to the surface, Yuna was helpless against such a mighty force. She did not know or care where the assassin had fallen, or if he was even alive at all. All she wanted was oxygen. She needed to breathe. Which way was up? Over and over again she smashed into the stone pillars in the churning water, and every hit she took she became more and more light-headed. Everything was going dark . . .

As her vision clouded, the last thing she thought about was the look on Tidus' face as he stood watching her fall.

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"Ec cra ymeja?" (Is she alive?)

"E vaam y bimca, pid ed ec vytehk vycd. Cra haatc y tuldun." (I feel a pulse, but it's fading. She needs a doctor.)

"Buun kenm. Cra muugc mega cra duug y naym paydehk . . ." (Poor girl. She looks like she took such a beating . . .)

"Ec ed zicd sa, un tuac cra muug cusafryd vysemeyn?" (Is it just me, or does she look somewhat familiar?)

"Knayd cyhtc . . . E drehg dryd'c Myto Yuna!" (Great sands . . . I think that's Lady Yuna!)

"Po dra paynt! Hajan druikrd E't kad du yldiymmo caa ran ykyeh..." (By the beard! Never thought I'd get to actually see her again . . .)

"'Ykyeh', bub? Fryd tu oui sayh po dryd?" ('Again', pop? What do you mean by that?)

"Ir, hajan seht. Ramb sa mevd ran. Kahdmo huf . . ." (Uh, never mind. Help me lift her. Gently now . . .)

"Fryd ec cra tuehk ymm dra fyo uid rana? Fych'd cra lrucah vun cusa lanasuho, un cusadrehk?" (What is she doing all the way out here? Wasn't she chosen for some ceremony, or something?)

"Fyed, drana'c cusauha amca ujan rana!" (Wait, there's someone else over here!)

"Ymm nekrd, fa femm dyga dras pudr. Syopa drao yna namydat un cusadrehk. Neggi, Pnudran, oui dyga dryd kio. E lyh lynno drec myto socamv." (All right, we will take them both. Maybe they are related or something. Rikku, Brother, you take that guy. I can carry this lady myself.)

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Warmth. Soft, comfortable warmth. Yuna sighed softly and attempted to roll on her side, when a sudden sharp pain pierced her all over. She groaned, opening her eyes slowly. Her head felt light and fuddled, and her eyes wouldn't focus properly.

"Fruy, fruy! Ku ayco uh ouincamv, oui ryt y pyt ylletahd (Whoa, whoa! Go easy on yourself, you had a bad accident)," said a sweet, soothing voice somewhere nearby. The words were foreign and distant, though spoken in a young girlish voice . . . Yuna could make no sense of them.

'Why can't I understand? What's wrong with me?' she wondered, suddenly overcome by fear. She made an attempt to sit up and look around for the source of the voice, but a gentle hand pushed her back down to the soft mattress. Yuna squinted her eyes and realized that she was lying on a narrow white bed, with white sheets pulled up to her chin. The small round room was lit dimly by a single lantern on the bedside table, and three shadowy figures were standing at her side. She stared up at them, somewhat warily. She wished she could see their faces, but at the moment she did not feel an immediate threat. Still, it was unnerving that she could not see their faces clearly.

"What happened?" she mumbled out loud. It felt as though her blood was made out of molasses. "Where am I?"

Someone leaned down towards her. The first thing she could make out was a pair of bright green eyes that crinkled slightly at the corners. Their owner had a feminine heart-shaped face and a youthful smile. Blonde hair fell over one side of her features, catching the light from the lantern nearby.

"Hi there, Lady Yuna!" the girl said in a friendly tone, careful to speak slowly so that Yuna could understand her. "You're with the Al Bhed, and this is the infirmary of Rin's Travel Agency in the Calm Lands. We found you floating down a river just last night. Are you feeling better today?"

Yuna struggled to follow the flow of words, but her mind was working slowly. It took a moment for all that she heard to fully sink in. The Al Bhed girl nodded understandingly.

"You're on a lot of medication, it might take a while for the effects to wear off. I told Rin that he shouldn't give you so much, but he never listens to me. I'm Rikku, and this is my father Cid. The other guy over here is Brother," she said, gesturing first to the stocky middle-aged man and then the tall young man covered in tattoos.

"We'll get you fixed up good as new, I promise!" she said cheerfully.

The immobile girl stared up at her rescuer, and realized fully for the first time what was going on. The assassin, falling, the river . . . Al Bhed? She'd never met Al Bhed before. They weren't vicious and crude like the priests always told her they were, but she had never fully believed those descriptions anyway. Behind Rikku, the middle-aged man Cid was peering down at her with beady green eyes, thinking deeply. The other man, Brother, was staring pointedly at her, his blue eyes slightly wide. They were large blue eyes, but not as lovely as another pair she could vaguely remember.

"Tidus! Where is he?" Yuna demanded suddenly, trying to sit up again. The pain hit her like a tidal wave, and for a moment she was weakened. Rikku stared at her worriedly for a moment and then said something to Brother. He nodded and hurried out of the room. The stocky man came forward and spoke for the first time.

"Relax, girl. Don't injure yourself further, ya hear? As for your friend Tidus, I'm guessing you mean that guy in the cloak. He's still unconscious, but he's alive. He'll make it as long as we keep an eye on him," he said in a reassuring tone. His voice was gruff, but patient. Yuna blinked slowly at him and then she felt a nauseating pang in her stomach.

"He is not my friend," she explained, her speech laboured. It was so hard to talk . . . "Not a friend . . . don't help him . . ."

Cid and Rikku exchanged quick glances, but they clearly looked uncertain. Brother came back with a glass of pale liquid. He made his way forward and leaned down over Yuna with the potion in hand. He gently placed his hand behind her head and tilted the glass against her lips. Yuna absently allowed it to flow into her mouth, dimly surprised at its cold mint flavour. She had been expecting it to be bitter.

When Brother made sure Yuna drank the entire brew, Cid finally spoke "We can't go against the law, Miss Yuna. The Al Bhed must help those in need whenever they can, it's our custom. We can't just let him die. But when he wakes up, I'll make sure to keep him away from you."

"Y-You don't understand," Yuna gasped, becoming dizzy in her agitation. Already she could feel the potion working its way through her, dulling her senses. "Lord S-Seymour . . . Yevonites . . . have to stop them . . ."

"Hush now," Rikku said quickly, interrupting Yuna's delirium. "Go back to sleep, okay? We can talk later. Tomorrow night we're going back to the Rammvena, so you'll have to come with us, but we can settle everything when you're feeling better. Pops, maybe we should send for Rin-"

But Yuna did not hear the rest of that sentence before she lost consciousness again.

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Yuna awoke slowly, feeling even more disoriented than ever. She was in a different room this time . . . in fact, as she became more and more alert, Yuna realized she was not even in an actual room. She was in a tent. How long had she been asleep this time? The tent was lit dimly by one candle on a stool next to the cot she was lying on, and it was trembling as if being shook by some unseen hand. Outside, the winds were howling ravenously. It seemed dark outside, but it was difficult to tell. Had the Al Bhed really taken her with them into the desert?

Gingerly she sat up and touched her side, which was wrapped up in bandages. Instantly she could tell she had cracked a few ribs. She grimaced. That explained the sharp pain. At least now it wasn't so unbearable. She could move around without groaning in protest. The rest of her body was covered in bruises, but thanks to the powerful Al Bhed medicine, they were already fading. Now they were nothing more then faint blue-purple blotches, hardly detectable in the dim light. As soon as her magical energy returned, she would get rid of them herself.

Someone had undressed her while she was asleep, and she was now wearing a light white long-sleeved nightgown. There was a mug of tea on the stool next to her bed beside the candle, still steaming. Yuna drank a few sips and then carefully emerged from the cot, sliding her feet into a pair of soft slippers. Even now, as she was recovering from the hefty dose of medication and a severe accident, her mind was already racing with worry for Tidus.

Just thinking about him made her heart leap into her throat. She felt scared without him. Yuna rubbed her arms uncomfortably, shuddering at the memory of Tidus watching horror-struck as she fell off the cliff. His eyes had been wide with shock, his bronze skin drained of colour. Would she ever see him again? Would he give her up for dead and abandon her?

No . . . no, Tidus would never do that to her. Never. He was her friend, wasn't he? There was no way he would ever leave her, not without making sure he knew what really happened to her first.

Yuna smiled to herself, reassured by her own conviction. After bracing herself, she slowly rose to her feet and went to take a look outside. She was certain that the Al Bhed had taken her to the Rammvena as promised, and that only made her more anxious. How far away was she from Tidus?

She raised the tent flap and stepped outside, instantly attacked by hot desert wind. It was night, but there were no stars or moon to be seen, for the sky was overcast with a desert storm. There was only a small ring of torches set up at a loose perimeter around the small encampment of tents and machina equipment. Here and here and transportation machina devices were fixed to the ground, bound by thick chains. The camp was set up in a wide grassy oasis, positioned near a rocky pool, and off to one side there was even a large green flower garden with tall hedges. It was a peaceful setting, and the stars were brighter than she had ever seen them. The tranquility almost reminded her of Lulu's village . . .

A sudden commotion on the other side of her tent caught her attention, a clamouring of shouts and foreign curses. One voice stood out distinctively from the most.

"Where is she? What have you done with her? I demand you take me to her, you bastards! Yuna! Yuna, are you there?"

"Tidus . . ." Yuna gasped, hurrying towards his voice.

There was a group of men struggling to hold someone down, and Yuna had the sinking suspicion she knew who it was. More and more people had to rush forward to help restrain him. Women were shepherding their children back into their tents, and with a stab of fear Yuna realized that some men were even pulling out machina guns. A very familiar black silver-maned horse was causing trouble nearby, bucking and rearing wildly as many pairs of hands reached up to grab her halter.

"Wait!" Yuna cried, dashing through the throng of people. The wind tore at her hair and dress like frantic hands, and she had to hold an arm over her face to shield her eyes from the raging wind. "Please, wait! Stop!"

Her side was aching terribly, but she grit her teeth and ignored it as she shoved her way through the crowd. Recognizing her, the men holding the 'stranger' still released him and began backing away to allow room for her to move forward. Thankfully the guns were lowered, somewhat hesitantly.

Yuna moved her hand away from her eyes to look upon her guardian, her friend. Tidus, momentarily stunned to see her alive, could only stand rooted to the spot as she drew closer to him. His skin was still blanched slightly, and there were faint shadows under his bright blue eyes, but he was still a sight more beautiful than any Yuna had ever beheld. The violent wind toyed and flirted with his already messy blonde hair.

Remembering himself, he hurried forward. When he was no more than an arm's length from her, his arms shot out and pulled her to his chest, crushing her too him in a sweetly excruciating embrace, desperate out of worry and affection.

"You idiot," he whispered into her hair, his voice quavering. "You stupid, crazy, brave idiot . . ."

Yuna closed her eyes and fought back the wave of pain that pierced her ribs. She wrapped her arms around his neck, no longer frightened.

"Sorry to have worried you," she said, her words muffled against his shoulder. He tightened his hold on her, as if frightened of letting her go. Many people in the crowd openly stared, some delighted, and some uncomfortable with the display.

At last he seemed to have the courage to pull away from her, but his hands remained firmly placed on her hips. He was inspecting her closely. Yuna watched patiently as his eyes took in the sight of her dying bruises, and it was not long before he noticed the bandage on her side.

"You're all right? The Al Bhed are treating you decently?" he questioned. Yuna smiled and nodded, letting her hands linger on his arms. Then curiosity overwhelmed her.

"How on Spira did you find me? How long has it been since . . . since I fell?" she asked, gazing up at him wondrously. He did look so exhausted.

"So, Yuna, you do know this man," came an amused girlish voice from behind. Yuna glanced over her shoulder, where Tidus was now looking, and recognized Rikku. The Al Bhed girl stood with her arms folded over her small chest, a knowing smile gracing her lips. Cid and Brother stood on either side of her. She nodded courteously at Tidus and then winked at Yuna.

"Yes, he is my friend," Yuna informed them, reluctantly letting go of Tidus' arms. His hands dropped from her as well. "And also my guardian."

Tidus moved away from Yuna and walked over to stand at a respectful distance from Rikku. He seemed to hesitate for a second. Then, he dropped down on one knee and bowed his head.

"I . . . I want to thank you for looking after her for me," he said sincerely. Rikku gestured for him to stand up and smiled perkily.

"No problem. Tidus, is it?" she asked him. He nodded. "Well, you and Yuna should come with me and Pops- er . . . I mean, Cid. You two obviously have some catching up to do, plus Cid and I need to go over some things with you. I'll send for some food and wine."

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Not long after, Yuna sat on the floor across from Tidus next to the hearth, a tin mug in hand. Rikku and Cid sat around the fire as well, listening eagerly as Tidus began his story.

"When I saw you fall," he said slowly, his gaze fixed on Yuna, "I couldn't react. I just couldn't make myself move. All I did was stand there for a moment, not really understanding what was going on. Then I snapped back to reality and ran to the horse. I rode along the cliff edge as fast as I could, trying to catch sight of you. I think by that time you were either too far downriver or you were under the surface where I couldn't see you. Either way, I felt like I was chasing a . . . a ghost.

"But then, when I was starting to give up hope, I looked across the bank and saw strange marks in the ground. From a distance they almost looked like you had scrambled ashore on your hands and knees. Maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part. I managed to find an area that looked safe enough for crossing (and believe me, it was not an easy thing to find), and I realized that those markings I saw were tracks in the dirt that looked like travelling machina."

For a moment Yuna was confused, and then she remembered that the Al Bhed rode machina that glide easily over any terrain. That must have been how they managed to transport her while she was unconscious.

"I remembered you telling me that we would have to pass through the Rammvena desert eventually, where the Al Bhed live," Tidus continued, taking another sip of wine. "I don't know . . . I guess by that time I was desperate enough to do anything to find you. So I followed the tracks through the Calm Lands, past the travel agency. I was starting to believe maybe they had kidnapped you or something. So, like an idiot I marched straight over here as soon as the sun went down, thinking to 'rescue' you or something. As it turns out, they've been taking care of you this whole time."

Tidus shrugged and looked away, slightly embarrassed. Yuna just grinned at him and reached over to clasp his hand.

"I'm honoured that you would work so tirelessly to find me. You like you've suffered through enough."

"I didn't sleep or eat the whole time. I'm just glad to see you're safe," he mumbled, his eyes still downcast. He finally managed to look back at her, but this time his expression was worried.

"Yuna . . . do you have any idea where the . . . our friend went?" he asked in a slightly hushed tone. "I never found him."

Yuna's stomach lurched, knowing instantly who he was talking about. She had completely forgotten about that unpleasant little detail . . .

"The cloaked guy?" Cid grunted, scratching his paunchy stomach. "Oh, he ran off a few hours ago. He woke up shortly after you passed out again, Yuna."


	19. A World of Lilacs

A few hours before dawn, Tidus gave up all hope of getting any sleep. With a heavy sigh he rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling of the tent overhead. Outside the world had stilled, since the desert winds stopped blowing about a short while ago. Now everything felt eerily peaceful.

He could not block out events of the last few days from his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, he would see Yuna falling from sight, disappearing in the vicious rapids of the river. But the thought of the assassin also haunted him just as frequently. At first he had been angry with Cid and Rikku for letting him escape, but he knew it was not their fault. They had not known about Lord Seymour's role in the web of deceit. They had not known the horrible secret behind the Children of Light ceremony, but why would they? After all, they were Al Bhed, and were probably hardly aware about the ceremony's existence in the first place.

So, throwing caution to the winds, Tidus and Yuna had decided to tell them everything, from beginning to finish what they knew of the conspiracy. In the short, turbulent time Tidus had known them, he already felt an immediate bond of trust and understanding. In spite of what he had always been raised to believe, these people seemed decent, and he was willing to take a chance with them. Wide-eyed and enraged, the two Al Bhed leaders, father and daughter, listened raptly to the tale.

"And we let that miserable cutthroat get away," Cid had growled, slamming a curled fist against his palm. "If I had known I woulda' wrung his neck myself!"

But by then it was late, and Rikku said that she would have a bed ready for Tidus in the guest tent with Yuna. Of course, sleep did not come to him. His mind was too troubled to allow him rest, even for a short time. In spite of his exhaustion, he tossed and turned for hours.

Yuna murmured quietly in her sleep, interrupting Tidus' thoughts. He turned his head to stare at her dark form on a cot across the tent, no more than four feet away from him. He smiled and allowed himself to relay their reunion in his mind. Never could he remember feeling more relieved and overjoyed than he had been tonight, to see her alive and not seriously hurt. It did not occur to him to be embarrassed when he threw his arms around her and pulled her to him in front of all those people. All he wanted was to feel her again, feel her heart beat, her warmth . . . it was his again, and he loved it.

Throwing the blanket aside, Tidus stood up and stretched, his hands nearly brushing the roof of the tent. There was no point in lying awake when there was exploring to be done. He was curious about the Al Bhed community.

Outside it was completely silent. The sky was still dark, but the horizon to the east was vaguely getting brighter. Tidus moved quietly through the grass, which was soft and cool underfoot. He had not expected such a lush oasis in the desert, but it was a welcome change of environment.

Around the torch-lit boundaries, Tidus could see the sentries posted for the night. They had their backs turned, but when they heard his footsteps, they turned and acknowledged him with friendly salutes.

Drawn by the fragrant smell, he found himself in a small garden of sorts. The paling eastern sky was reflected perfectly on the mirror-like surface of the pool. It was a beautiful little retreat. Tidus sat down on a stone bench and rested his elbows on his knees, letting his mind wander. It was nice to feel safe again, at least for a little while.

"Can't sleep?"

He looked up and saw the Al Bhed girl Rikku standing at the entrance of the garden, wearing a periwinkle blue robe. He smiled politely.

"Looks like I'm not the only one," he commented. He moved over on the bench to allow her some room, and she sat down next to him.

"Thank you for letting us stay for the night," Tidus said after a moment of silence. "But you should know that it is not safe. The Yevonites must still be tracking us, and if they manage to find this place I fear for your people. The last village that helped us . . . was destroyed." He paused and swallowed. It still hurt to think of that night.

Rikku gave him a sympathetic look.

"It must have been terrible," she said quietly. "I can't imagine how you and Yuna felt. But the Yevonites have always been our enemy. If they are to attack us now, at least this time they will have reason." She tried to smile as she said it, showing that she was only kidding, but Tidus did not grin back.

"If your people are put in danger . . . it will break Yuna's heart. And mine," he added. He had seen children tonight. Many young fresh faced children. The last thing he wanted was to hear their screams, or to see their small bodies burnt on the ground. He had experienced enough of that at Lulu's village to last him a lifetime.

"She feels things differently, you know," Tidus continued, staring ahead as he spoke. He could sense Rikku watching him intently. "Everything seems to . . . touch her deeply. In her eyes, nothing is insignificant."

"Do you love her, Tidus?"

He glanced at her sharply. The question was so direct and unexpected that for a moment the warrior couldn't respond. The Al Bhed girl was smiling in a manner that suggested she already knew the answer.

"I just . . . I care about her very much," he managed to stammer, dropping his gaze from hers, embarrassed. Rikku chuckled knowingly, but the subject was dropped.

After a moment of quiet contemplation, Rikku voiced another question.

"Why did you agree to help Yuna, back in Besaid? How did you know she was telling the truth?"

Tidus smiled grimly and shook his head. "Even now I have no idea. I guess . . . well, I guess Yuna looked like the kind of girl who could never tell a convincing lie. It was a dangerous choice. Since then, I've often wondered why the hell I got myself involved in this."

"Well, I know why you did it," his companion told him confidently, smiling brightly. He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Oh?" he queried. "And how could you possibly know?"

Rikku's grin broadened and she looked up to the fading stars. Tidus followed her gaze curiously.

"Yevonites always say that we Al Bhed have no faith, but that's not true. We respect Yevon, yes, but he is not our god. His rules aren't ours. But . . . we do believe in something else," she said slowly.

"What is that?" Tidus questioned, interested. He too had made the mistake of believing that the Al Bhed had no spirituality. Rikku seemed to hesitate, choosing her words carefully. Her eyes remained fixed on the stars above.

"We believe . . . that everyone in life has a purpose. It's not like fate, though. There are people who can change their purpose, as long as they have what it takes. Most people won't play important roles in Spira, or have their names recorded in history for doing anything spectacular. But every now and then, someone is born who has . . . a big, special purpose that they can't avoid or change. They are born with the gift to do something no one else can do. I think . . . that you and Yuna both have that same destiny, Tidus. You two were meant to do something amazing. Maybe a part of you knew that when you saw her," she said at last, finally turning to look him in the eye again.

Her words sent chills down his spine. Lulu had said nearly the exact same thing when they first met . . . so could it be true? Could all this nonsense about fate and purpose be real? Yevon always taught his children that they were the masters of their own future, and nobody could command their choices. But . . . if that was the case, why did Tidus agree to help Yuna?

Rikku, seeming to understand his inner turmoil, patted him on the arm and stood up.

"It's almost dawn," she said, beginning to walk away. "Get some rest, okay?"

He nodded, barely hearing her as he was so deeply immersed in his thoughts. When she left the garden, Tidus breathed in deeply to clear his mind. The scent of flowers filled his nostrils.

"Lilacs," he murmured out loud. Yuna's favourite. There was a wall of lilac bushes right across from him, their amethyst petals hanging like clumps of jewels.

And quite suddenly, Tidus was struck by an idea.

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Dawn had nearly arrived.

He worked silently and swiftly inside the tent, moving like a shadow. It was not easy to be quiet, but Yuna was sound asleep and not the slightest bit aware of what was going on around her. Tidus hung one more lilac bunch above Yuna's cot, grinning at his own genius. It was the perfect way for Yuna to awaken, surrounded by her favourite blossom just like she did long ago with her father.

Tidus had filled the entire tent with lilacs, having borrowed an astonishing number of pots and vases to bunch them in. He also arranged them on the floor and even on the cots themselves. The tent was filled with their sweet heady perfume.

When at last he finished, Tidus sat down gently on the side of the cot, the final cluster of lilacs in hand. Hardly able to contain his eagerness, he held the flower under Yuna's nose. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, he detected her nostrils flaring, subconsciously taking in the aroma. She frowned in her sleep, puzzled, and gradually Tidus watched as her eyes flickered open sleepily. He couldn't help but grin down at her bleary expression.

"Tidus, what . . .?" she murmured, sitting up slowly. Then all of a sudden she seemed to understand. Her eyes fell to the bouquet in his hand, and a wide smile broke out over her features. Then she looked around the rest of the tent, shocked and delighted. The mounting light outside seemed to create the illusion that the tent was glowing purple from all the lilacs.

"Oh," she gasped wondrously, craning her neck to drink in the sight. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"

"Me too," Tidus said in a slightly hushed tone, never taking his eyes from her. She of course did not know that he was talking about something completely different.

"I don't know what to say, Tidus," she told him, at last returning her gaze to meet his. She was no longer smiling, but her face was radiant with adoration.

Bracing himself, Tidus reached up and brushed a lock of stray hair away from her face.

"Well, actions speak louder than words, Yuna," he said softly.

For an endless moment, she stared at him, unmoving as his hand brushed against her cheek. Then she slowly raised her own hand and covered the back of his, holding it against her face as if afraid of letting him pull back.

"Then listen carefully," she murmured, leaning forward.

Tidus met her half way, his lips finding hers effortlessly as he closed his eyes in anticipation. He pulled her to him, dragging her forward from her sitting position so that she was nearly directly on his lap. His arms closed in around her, locking her to him possessively. She opened her mouth to him, her hands pressed against his broad firm chest. Tidus delved into her deeply, memorizing her taste, loving every single detail of her. Her body fit in his arms perfectly, like two pieces of a puzzle coming together in glorious union, completing a masterpiece.

Nothing existed anymore, nothing else mattered. Eternities passed in each second. Lifetimes flew by with every silent tick of the great nonexistent clock.

She breathed his name, in the brief moment when they pulled apart. No sooner had he heard his name on her lips then he hungered for her again, attacking her with gentle lust. He could sense her becoming bolder, more explorative. Almost hesitantly she drew back again, but far enough only so that she could look him straight in the eye. Then, with hands shaking from both nervousness and excitement, she began pulling away at the strings that held the front of her nightgown closed. His heart began to pound harder. He almost couldn't take his eyes off her body the more it was revealed to him, but he managed to meet her gaze for a moments, searching her for any sign of indecision or fear. There was nothing but trust and certainty.

"I want you," Yuna whispered, her chest heaving before him. Her voice washed over him like tantalizing warm rain. "I want you to have me."

And in the silver light of dawn, lost in a world of lilacs, he did.

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Tremath grit his teeth in anger as he ploughed his way through the desert sand. Blast that woman! Blast her to the deepest circle of hell! He had been so close to finally doing away with the boy, but she had to interfere and ruin everything, just like she did the first time!

His leg still hurt from where it hit the rock upon landing in the river, and his body ached with bruises, but no pain was greater than that of defeat.

Only, this wasn't defeat, not completely. Tremath was not a man to easily give up. Oh, no. He would have his revenge, no matter what that Seymour Guado said. When he had the chance, he would strike Yuna down as well for getting in the way. She would pay for his injuries in blood. First he would make her watch Tidus die. He would cut him and let him bleed to death, slowly. Then he would slice her apart, piece-by-piece, limb from limb.

He cackled maniacally, hardly aware of the rumble in his stomach or the heaviness of his eyelids. It was only his luck that those Al Bhed fools had not been aware of his connection to Yuna. If she had told them that he was an assassin sent by Lord Seymour, they would have taken care of him in a heartbeat.

The very second he woke up, he had dashed out of the sickbed they placed him in and escaped the infirmary, much to the surprise and protest of the Al Bhed healers sent to watch over him.

Right now all that mattered was getting to a travel inn and restocking his supplies. Then he would send a letter to Lord Seymour and inform him that any day now the mission would be complete. He would, of course, conveniently avoid mentioning his secret ambition to slaughter Yuna as well, but surely Seymour would have no trouble finding a replacement to appease Sin.

It was going to be a long, arduous trial, re-tracking those two young fools and staying close behind, especially if they remained in the company of the Al Bhed. But he was Tremath, the greatest assassin in all the land. Nothing would stand between him and his prey. He was the hunter, the mighty predator with the mind of a human, but the vicious killing instincts of a mighty carnivore.

Tremath viewed his career choice as a sort of necessity to society. Similar to the way wild beasts hunted each other to keep a natural balance, he was entrusted with the task of taking out potential threats to innocent people, to keep the balance of peace. Tidus and Yuna were threats. If they should succeed in their attempts to vanquish Sin and uncover the Maester's scheme, what would become of Spira's Calm? With no Yevon to believe in, there would be total anarchy and chaos. Tremath was providing a service, and he was going to do it well, even if he had to bend a few of the rules to do so. His victory would make him a rich man, not only in gil, but also in satisfaction. Where ordinary men lusted after women, Tremath lusted for the kill. He craved it, relished it. The power to take life was his, and he was virtually a god for it.

Still laughing, the bounty hunter struggled on across the dunes. The time would come for vengeance, that much was certain. But that time must be precise and calculated. One wrong move could result in terrible consequences.

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She was sleeping again, her naked figure nestled against him. Her bare arm was slung across his stomach, the other tucked under her head. Their legs were comfortably entangled.

Tidus kissed her lightly sweat-soaked hair and let his head fall back to the pillow. A lazy smile played across his lips. His arms were still wrapped around her, and he had little to no intention of releasing her so soon.

Beyond the tent, other people were now stirring. A new day was starting, and there were chores to be carried out. Tidus listened for a moment to the sounds of life all around them. He felt humbled suddenly, but he did not know why. Perhaps he was simply in awe of everything he had experienced over the last two weeks of his life. All that he had ever known was different. He was different. And he knew for certain that the rest of the world would change too.

Closing his eyes, the events that had just occurred danced through his mind. He remembered everything with startling clarity. He remembered the way her hair moved, catching the pale light from outside. He remembered the way her skin glowed almost purple from all the lilacs. He remembered her crying out in short gasps, mingling with his own. The smell of her sweat, the heat of her body . . . all of it forever engraved in his memory.

When they had finished, she had smiled at him, her eyes shining with what he knew she had never felt before. They kissed swiftly, and Yuna fell asleep against him almost instantly.

"You've given me peace," Tidus whispered out loud as she slumbered quietly. "You've given me peace, when all I have ever known was confusion and doubt."

It gave him a strange sense of comfort to know that she could not hear these words, genuine as they were. Perhaps someday he would gain the courage to say them to her face and witness her reaction. For now, he was content just to voice them and know them to be true.

'_This is fate,' he thought to himself. 'We do belong here.'_

He fell asleep only seconds later, still smiling.


	20. Surprises and a Revelation

Yuna awoke feeling sublimely warm and relaxed in a way she'd never experienced before. Yawning and arching her back luxuriously, she turned her face to relocate the source of warmth, only to have the memories of earlier that morning fly back in a delightful rush. She froze and opened her eyes, coming face to face with the sleeping form of Tidus. Her lover. Tidus, her lover. The thought made her feel indescribably happy and at peace. One of his arms was wrapped around her shoulders, and the other lay draped across her middle. She snuggled closer to him, allowing herself to revel in the sensations introduced to her not so very long ago.

"Good morning."

His voice was soft and sleepy. Yuna glanced up and saw Tidus smiling down at her through half-closed crystalline blue eyes, his teeth flashing slightly. She smiled back, and pulled herself upwards to kiss him. His lips were welcoming, and returned the favour tenderly.

"Good morning yourself," she replied, slumping back down against his chest. "Or good afternoon."

"How was it?" he asked, his hand coming up to stroke her hair. She nearly purred at his touch. Of course she did not have to ask what he was referring to.

"It hurt a little at the beginning, but that wasn't your fault," she admitted drowsily, enjoying the feel of his fingers working through the silken strands of hair. "It was my first time, after all. And afterwards it was nice."

"Just nice?" he asked with a mock pout, feigning injury. She giggled.

"Oh, fine. It was completely and overwhelmingly wonderful. Happy?"

"Immensely."

And then they were silent, each simply basking in the other's presence. It amazed Yuna, the way he could make her heart pound just by smiling at her. He could make her stomach do flips with a simple look. The thought of his hands on her again made everything else disappear. He was all that really mattered. Them. The two of them together.

"Tidus?"

"Hmm?"

"Was it . . . did you like it?"

"So much that I'm starting to wonder if that was really your first time," he replied with a light chuckle. Yuna couldn't help but grin with embarrassment. She rolled onto her stomach next to him, propping herself up on her elbows and gazing down at him. He stared back with a lethargic smile.

"I didn't think it could happen so fast," Yuna commented after a moment of quiet. "I mean, you and me. I thought it took a long time for these things to come together."

"What do you mean?" he asked, hooking his arm around her waist again.

"Well . . . I never believed I could feel this way for someone after knowing him for only two weeks," she said thoughtfully. The afternoon sunlight glowed on the outside of the tent, so that the world beyond seemed to be filled with golden radiance. It made the inside of the tent seem dream-like and hazy, coupled with the fragrant lilac blossoms still adding their beauty to the scene. The air was fragrant and purple.

Her words made the smile disappear from Tidus' lips. His expression became curious.

"What feeling would that be?" he asked, tilting his head to the side slightly. Yuna blushed and looked away for a moment.

"I . . . I don't know. I feel like I can do anything as long as you're with me. I suppose you could call it love. But it is so much more powerful than I ever imagined it could be," she said in a hushed voice.

He stared at her, and the depth of her words settled between them, hanging heavily in the stillness of the atmosphere.

Suddenly she was struck with fear. What if he didn't feel the same way? What if . . . what if he only wanted her in bed, with nothing else attached? Had she imagined all those emotions in his eyes when he looked at her? Had she simply been fooling herself thinking his touches held more than just lust?

The thought hit her hard. A lump rose in her throat, and she quickly rolled away from him. Pain too great to comprehend cut through her, leaving her with an ugly feeling on the inside. Had any of it mattered to him aside from the experience itself? Had she just frightened him away with her silly sentiments?

"I'm sorry," whispered hoarsely, trembling at the absence of his warmth. "I should not have said that."

A warm hand descended on her bare shoulder, and with surprising force it pulled her back down. She lay motionless on her back as Tidus rolled nearly directly on top of her. His hands pinned her arms down at her sides, and his mouth came down on hers with a fierce hunger that devoured them both. She felt his tongue part her lips almost desperately, and she lost herself to him. When at last he drew back after a few heated moments, leaving her gasping underneath, his eyes locked onto hers spell-bindingly.

"Don't ever apologize for saying that," he breathed, his nose nearly touching hers. "Never ever be sorry."

He kissed her again, but less aggressive and more loving. He released his hold on her arms so that she could reach up to embrace him around the neck, relief flooding through her.

So he was not disgusted or appalled by her confession. He at least made that very clear. She closed her eyes and held onto him tightly, refusing to let him pull away. She loved the feel of his heartbeat against her breast, the heat of his blood warming that tantalizing body of his . . . she loved the golden halo of hair that occasionally fell into his incomparable cobalt eyes. The smile that could break her heart or make it swell with emotion.

Still . . . she could not deny that she wished he would say it back. She would give anything to hear those same words coming from his lips. But the fact that he remained silent caused her a strange sort of pain. He held her tenderly and placed gentle kisses on her neck and shoulder with affection that only a truly attentive lover could give, but he said nothing.

Yuna decided to stop being childish and be grateful for simply having him. He had sacrificed everything to help her when she had been nothing but a stranger to him. He had comforted her in times of loneliness and fear, and encouraged her in times of doubt. From the beginning he made it clear that he was her friend and guardian. He never left her side. And at last she had him in a way she'd always wanted someone. That was good enough for her.

Maybe he somehow knew her inner thoughts. He lifted his head away from her to stare down at her with a strange expression on his face. His lips parted hesitantly, as if he was debating the option of speaking, and his brows furrowed ever so slightly.

But before he could say anything, a silhouette appeared behind the tent flap and a light finger tapped the material gently by way of knocking. The enchantment was broken. Tidus turned his head to glance at the intruder's shape, and Yuna caught a glimpse over his broad shoulder. She recognized Rikku's lissom form.

"Hey, lovebirds! There are people out here who want to see you. Try not to keep 'em waiting!" the Al Bhed girl called in her girlish voice.

Tidus sighed heavily as their hostess retreated, and turned to look back down at Yuna, who was still lying underneath him. He gave her a crooked grin, the humour creeping back into his eyes.

"Lovebirds?" he asked quizzically. "Has our friend Rikku been spying on us?"

"Perhaps the tent walls are thinner than we thought," Yuna replied, smiling as well.

He chuckled and slid off of her, standing up from the cot and stretching. Yuna remained still, watching his naked figure with unabashed fascination and regretting the fact that she no longer had it on top of her. At dawn, everything had happened so fast and it had been slightly dark. She had not been able to actually see what his body looked like, although her hands had roamed him quite thoroughly. Now, in the afternoon light shining through the tent's fabric, she could see everything in perfect detail.

"Beautiful . . ." she murmured out loud. He gave her a quick look over his shoulder and beamed, his cheeks slightly tinged with red.

The night before, their Al Bhed friends had provided them with a change of clothes while their other garments were being mercifully cleaned. Yuna rose and pulled out a strange golden gauze shift that ended down at her ankles, revealing her arms and a great deal of her back. Rikku had called it a desert gown, and told her that women often wore them to keep cool in the Rammvena. The material was light and breezy, but also slightly translucent. There was, alas, no help for it. Besides, most of the women who wore them did not bother to wear anything underneath. Modesty was not a virtue prized among the Al Bhed, and Yuna decided she could afford to give it up for a day as well.

Before slipping it on over her head, she caught Tidus staring warmly at her. Fighting the immediate instinct to shield herself, Yuna struck a provocative pose, a playful smile on her lips. He winced and groaned with mock protest, sliding his loose trousers up over each leg.

"Oh, don't do that now," he begged dramatically. "Not when I'm in the middle of getting my pants _on!_"

She laughed, letting the gown drop over her, enjoying the feel of the ethereal material flowing around her body. As her hair was overdue for another wash, she decided to tie it back with one of the elastics Rikku had left with her. Although her locks were only shoulder length, she was able to fashion a hasty but practical horsetail, ignoring the few strands that stubbornly fell around her face.

"There will be time for that later," she said with a coy wink, striding past him to pull on her slippers. "But for now we have company."

"Who do you think it could be?" Tidus asked, his voice more serious as he pulled on a canvas cloth vest over his bare back.

"I just hope it's not that assassin again," Yuna replied, waiting for him to lace the vest up.

"Rikku didn't sound too concerned. It can't be one of our enemies . . ." he mused aloud, stepping into his boots. Yuna stood still, listening to the activities of the Al Bhed encampment outside the tent. She could hear children laughing and screaming playfully, and a handful of women were chatting rapidly in their native language. Two men sounded as though they were in the midst of an argument, and all around dogs barked and tussled in their own games.

It all reminded her of the pagan village, the peace and simplicity of it all. How lucky those children were, to live in such a happy place as this. Yuna would have given anything to be raised in a village full of life and vigour rather than the cold confinements of temple life.

"You ready?" Tidus asked, coming up behind her. He touched her arm lightly to get her attention. Turning to look back at him, she smiled and nodded.

"Right. Let's go."

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Yuna stood dumbfounded in the entrance of the council tent. Tidus, standing behind her, was equally paralysed. They made two motionless silhouettes against the late noon sunlight pouring in.

"Well?" Cid demanded gruffly, raising a bushy eyebrow. "These friends of yours?"

Mistress Lulu and Sir Auron were both sitting cross-legged by the hearth, each holding mugs of tea in hand. Lulu smiled and inclined her head once in a formal bow. Auron smirked at their bewildered expressions and raised his mug in salutation.

"Mistress Lulu . . . Auron . . ." Yuna gasped, her hand flying to her throat. "You're here!"

"Really?" Lulu replied primly, taking a sip of tea. Amusement danced in her ruby red eyes. "I was under the impression I was somewhere else."

"But . . . the village . . . the Yevonites . . ." Tidus stammered in uncharacteristic confusion, staring pointedly at the high priestess.

The woman's expression softened, her cool demeanour faltering slightly.

"Yes," she said softly. "I along with a select few managed to escape. I ran like a coward while my men fought and died for me."

"It wasn't your fault," Auron whispered to her, resting his roughened hand over her delicate white one in a gesture that insinuated more than simple friendship.

"Captain Jardo . . .?" Yuna questioned tentatively, moving further into the tent and kneeling down across from them. Tidus walked in and took a seat next to her, his eyes darting between Lulu and Auron.

At the mention of her old companion's name, Lulu's marble smooth brow furrowed ever so slightly, drawn with evident pain.

"Dead," she said in a tight voice. "He fell while fending off a Yevonite tracking party. He alone took on twelve men to keep them from finding me."

Yuna lowered her head for a moment in recognition of the old soldier's courage. Next to her, Tidus did the same thing. Even Rikku and Cid, sitting off to the side, remained quiet out of respect for a man they never met.

"Why are you here?" Tidus asked after the mourning silence passed. Lulu, having regained composure, set her tea mug down and exchanged a quick look with Auron.

"We want to go with you."

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The letter shook in Seymour's hand. The Guado gripped the paper tightly, so tightly that his long carefully manicured nails dug into the material, creating tiny rip marks. His steely grey eyes scanned the hasty note lividly, clenching his jaw to the point of numbness.

"That . . . bungling . . . worthless . . ." he hissed incoherently, unable to finish his own incensed rant. Beside him, his lieutenant was nervous once more, shaking for fear of his superior's wrath that would no doubt he vented on himself. The soldiers had been idling at the Moonflow for two days now, following the Lady Yuna and her companion's trail from a distance, taking their time in catching up. After all, as Lord Seymour himself stated, why breathe down their necks when they are heading to the very place the temple wanted them to go? They may as well go at their own pace and enjoy the scenery along the way.

The message had been scribbled quickly, but it was still painfully clear:

_Have yet to take down the target. Sustained severe injuries that will need compensation. Still tracking the target. Will notify you when business is complete._

"I paid that pock-marked bastard to do a simple job, and yet he is unable to do the very thing that makes him so infamous?" Seymour continued to seethe, tearing the letter up viciously.

The stammering lieutenant watched the white pieces drift to the ground. Both men were standing on the bank of the great slow river, the beauty of the location lost upon them in the seriousness of the situation. It was dusk, and the pyreflies were drifting lazily along the slow surface of the Moonflow under the moonlight.

"M-my lord," the lieutenant said gingerly, "this letter could have b-been written long ago. P-perhaps Tremath has c-completed the job as we stand h-here now."

He bit back a yelp of pain as the Guado cuffed him upside the head.

"Shut your trap," he snapped, glaring at the young man. "Rouse the men at once. We've dawdled here for too long. We march double pace to Bevelle. No stopping unless it is unavoidable. When the Lady Yuna reaches the temple, I want to give her a special welcoming party."

With that, he wheeled around and strode away in a huff, his long purple robe swirling out behind him dramatically. The lieutenant, rubbing the back of his head carefully, merely sighed and headed in the opposite direction towards the soldier's quarters to carry out the Guado's demands.

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Wakka sat moodily by himself on the edge of camp, stabbing the soft earth with a stick. Aside from Tidus, Wakka had never bothered to make friends with his fellow Yevonite Warriors. They too had made it clear from the start that they had no desire to associate with 'a giant dope' like him, as they had so candidly called the Besaid native.

"It's times like these I wish I woulda stayed in blitzball. A' least I made more money there than I do here," Wakka muttered to himself, trying vainly to shut out the raucous noise coming from behind him. The men had stumbled across a house full of curvy sisters, each of whom were all too willing to give them some sport for the right price. They had particularly loud laughs that Wakka could hear above the hoots and hollers of the soldiers.

Wakka was a devoutly religious man, who placed faith above all else. But now, ever since his friend Tidus' disappearance with the Lady Yuna, he had begun to question the temple's honesty. He was certain the priests were hiding something from Spira, but he simply could not figure out what it could possibly be. If it was big enough to draw Tidus into a life on the lam, than it would most definitely be enough to sway Wakka's opinion.

"Tidus, you were always the brainy one," the redheaded soldier sighed out loud. "Why you hafta go and do somethin' crazy like this? You shoulda told me, brudda. You and I both know I woulda believed you no matter what."

"Hey, red!" a mocking voice called out from behind. "Come on over here and pay these ladies a visit! Yevon knows you could use some action from a girl for a change!"

Gritting his teeth, Wakka ignored the jibe and following laughter.

"Laugh all you want, sinner," he fumed to himself. "We'll see who's so great when Yevon punishes you for sleeping around with infected whores, ya?"

Still, the self-righteousness of his hidden comment didn't take away the sting of the remark. In spite of his size, Wakka was a sensitive individual, and this certainly was not the first time he had been insulted by his comrades.

His injured pride was suddenly forgotten when he heard a familiar shout:

"Yevonites, move out! We make haste for Bevelle, double-march! Anyone who falls behind is left behind, so keep your useless hides in gear."

The lieutenant's barking command boomed out above the festivities, and the soldiers grudgingly rose to their feet. Abandoning their disappointed lady-friends, they unenthusiastically plodded out of the clearing towards their tents to break camp.

Wakka stood up and followed at a slight distance, none too eager to keep abreast. Why was it so urgent to get to Bevelle? They were supposed to be tracking Yuna and Tidus, weren't they?

A sudden thought hit Wakka, so sharply that it made his steps falter. What if . . . what if they were going to set a trap for his friend? What if Tidus got hurt without having a chance to explain his actions in court?

Swallowing, Wakka moved like a zombie towards his tent, his mind racing. He had to find a way to warn Tidus. He had to do _something! _The more he thought about it, the more sure he was.

The temples really were plotting something.

And unlike the rest of Spira, Wakka was going to be their fool no longer.


	21. Vengeance: Tremath's Story

Thanks for the reviews (tingle)! I've decided to dedicate this chapter entirely to our dear assassin friend, Tremath. Yes, I know, he is not exactly a likeable guy, but I wanted to give you all slightly different perspective on him. You are going to look into a window of his past. You are going to take a peek at a momentous chapter in his life's history, the possible root of his decision to enter the hitman trade. Hopefully this interlude will give you some new insight on his character. It will be longer than the usual length of my other chapters, so bear with me. I promise the next chapter will go back to Tidus and Yuna's story. Well, enjoy!

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Perched atop a massive sand dune with a telescope in hand, a dark cloaked figure surveyed the festivities going on in the Al Bhed encampment from a safe distance. Judging from what he could see and vaguely hear, there was some kind of party going on, most likely celebrating the presence of their distinguished guests.

Tremath grit his teeth. His side still ached terribly, no matter how many potions he had gulped down back at the Travel Agency against the Al Bhed Rin's advice while he had been forced to remain under his care. The medicine had given him a fuddled, light-headed feeling that made traveling difficult, but the assassin was loathe to waste more time. He was a professional, a hardy survivor. He had endured living as a slave nearly his whole life in the sweltering heat of the far south, and it would take much more than a few cracked ribs or bruised organs to slow him down. He had been strong enough to escape the slave quarters at only fifteen years old and travel all the way up north alone, leaving behind a dead mother. He had no living siblings to consider, as they had all died at birth or sometime in their early years, long before Tremath could remember. He had never known his father.

And _she_ was just a dream that had once been a reality.

_I damn well better be paid extra for this_, he thought bitterly. _Seymour has no idea what this kind of abuse costs me._

Now all he could do was wait. As usual, when his mind was left to its own devices away from devious plots or schemes, it began to wander into a particularly dark part of Tremath's history. He did not like to dwell on the past, but the past certainly liked to dwell on him . . .

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_A pitifully thin and pale young man threw himself forward across the muddy plains, straining against the heavy wooden yoke around his scrawny shoulders. His unclean mouse brown hair was plastered against his head and neck, drenched with sweat and rain, causing his long bangs to fall into his translucent blue eyes. The uneven wood of the yoke chafed his skin brutally, but the teenager was by now fully accustomed to it. He was barely aware of the dry blood crusting all over him, both from old and new wounds he earned from the slave warden's whip. Behind him, all attached by chains and thick rope to the next person, trailed the rest of the slaves in his age group. The Warden usually placed him in the front, as he most often seemed to have more energy than the others, and it was his unofficial job to keep the line moving through the rows of the field. _

_Tremath was careful to keep his strides long and purposeful, but mercifully slow for the sake of the weaker ones behind him. At the very end of the line, which consisted of twenty young people, there was a large ploughing device used to rake through the soil. Of course, at this point, it was completely useless._

_It had been raining for an unusually long stretch of time, long even by the South's standards. The elements poured down relentlessly for over a fortnight, soaking the already desperately humid land in a thick soupy fog. It made the fields almost impossible to plough, but Lord Ajhim was not known for his compassion. Oozing with cruel mirth, the fat middle-aged plantation owner commanded the slaves to continue their labour, regardless of the bitter rain or the unbearable field conditions. The slaves were once again forced outside, knee deep in slick wet dirt, barely clothed, and already starving from withheld meals the day before. Someone had been caught filching potatoes from the kitchen, thus every slave was punished. At the end of the day, the culprit had come forward and confessed the deed, only to have his throat slashed upon sight. He had been a twelve-year-old orphan boy._

_So, since daybreak, Tremath and his comrades had been toiling under the monsoon-like rain. They were barely clothed to protect themselves from the weather, and in fact many of them had no choice but to work naked. Very little material could be spared for slaves to wear, so the few who were lucky enough to have some garments to conceal their modest places held onto them tightly. Now, the threadbare material was completely soaked through, and Tremath's body was coated in grime and sweat and rain. He may as well have been nude, for all the good his clothes provided. _

_Tremath's mother had been dead for nearly three hours. Her skeletally frail body was still lying motionless in the mud of Field Nine, her blue eyes shut as if she were simply sleeping. In reality, she had died in great pain. Her lungs had been infected for quite some time, but of course, no slave was worth an expensive trip to the medic. Her condition worsened as the year progressed, until her body simply could not take it anymore. Not too long after she fell, her harness had been unlocked, and several other slaves rooted through her clothes in hopes of finding a scrap of stolen food, or perhaps jewellery; anything worth stealing. Others, upon realizing that the malicious slave warden was going to do nothing about the corpse, gingerly stepped around her, muttering quick prayers for her safety to the next life. They at least had the decency not to go rifling through a dead woman's garments. _

_The fifteen-year-old Tremath felt a pull against the yoke, making his steps falter. He cast a quick look over his shoulder to find that the girl behind him had fallen to the ground. She voiced a quiet sob and tried to pull herself back up, desperate not to be caught on her knees should the Warden be watching. He happened to enjoy hurting her a great deal, in more ways than with a simple whipping._

"_Come on Shula," Tremath whispered to her out the corner of his mouth. "Up on your feet."_

"_Trey, I can't!" she whimpered, collapsing once more. The poor girl, barely fourteen years old, was struggling against the mud and weight of the yoke around her delicate body. Behind her, the other slaves came to an ungraceful stop, throwing anxious looks over their shoulders to look out for the patrollers, or worse yet, the Warden. They feared and hated the Warden above all, even more than their master, Lord Ajhim. If they were caught standing still on the job, they would most certainly be thrashed to the point of near death. _

_Moving swiftly, Tremath (whose heart warmed at the sound of her pet name for him) turned his upper body as much as the bonds would allow and reached down to grab the back of Shula's yoke. Mustering as much strength as he could with one arm, Tremath hefted her upright, grateful as the half-Guado boy behind Shula offered his assistance as well. _

_Shula smiled at him weakly, her eyes glistening with tears of both fear and gratitude. Of all the young female slaves, Shula was perhaps one of the hardiest when it came to physical labour. Her naturally slender build was not much good for strength, but she certainly had a staggering amount of stamina. When the days seemed endless, when the workloads seemed unbearable and when the nights seemed unforgivingly cold, Shula was often the one who managed to bring up everyone's spirits with a song or simple kind words. When she of all people ended up falling because of fatigue or despair, Tremath knew that they needed to stop soon. _

_In spite of the fact that Shula had been a slave for her entire life, there was no possible way to deny that she was beautiful. She had elegant auburn hair that fell past her shoulders in whimsical curls, swaying and bouncing with every move she made. The colour was a rarity in the south, which made Shula the unfortunate target for nearly every male slave driver with an attraction to uniqueness. But best of all, she had brilliant jade eyes that seemed to glint with perpetual spirit; eyes that had long ago captured young Tremath's heart and refused to let go. She had a sweetly poignant singing voice that could enchant anyone within earshot, and a smile that was enough to melt butter. _

_But people also looked Tremath for strength on the job. Shula's bright, upbeat attitude was encouraging, no doubt, but Tremath's silent toughness was also a driving force. He was a slightly moody introverted person who rarely emerged from his carefully crafted rock solid shell, but perhaps this way the reason why his fellow captives were so drawn to him. In spite of his 'anti-hero' attitude, he was a never-ending source of inspiration, especially to the younger slaves. Without even trying to win such a title, Tremath became the accepted 'boss' of his age group. His word was apparently law among them._

_His feet were completely numb; he began to wonder just how long he could stand this agonizing shift. Was the Warden purposefully prolonging the quitting time bell toll? _

"_Tremath . . . I heard about your mother," Shula panted behind him, resting a gentle but weary-worn hand on his drenched back. "Word just came up the line. I'm so sorry."_

_Tremath remained facing forward, clenching his jaw shut. No way had he forgotten about his mother's stiffening corpse, sprawling between the rows of Field Nine. _

"_She was a good woman. I'll sing for her tonight," Shula continued, removing her hand and shifting the yoke around her shoulders. She shook her saturated red hair out of her eyes, but the motion was in vain, as her long bangs kept swinging across her face. _

"_Don't bother yourself," Tremath replied gruffly, not even attempting to hide the edge in his voice. "Songs won't bring her back alive. You may as well save your breath."_

_Shula promptly closed her mouth and lowered her head, partly to shield herself from the rain's torrent and partly to ensure that Tremath would not feel her hurt eyes on the back of his neck. _

_But Tremath possessed uncanny perception, and had already sensed her injured look. He sighed heavily and threw his best friend an apologetic glance over his shoulder as the line continued its slow progress across the plain. _

"_Shu, I'm sorry," he said gently, also addressing her with an old pet name. "I'd be honoured if you would sing for Mum tonight."_

_Instantly the girl brightened. "I will, then. I will sing for as long and hard as I can."_

_Thankfully, the sound they had all been waiting for finally rang out around the plantation. The quitting bell tolled from the highest tower in the palace, echoing solemnly in spite of the fact that it was considered a blessed melody amongst the slaves. _

_Tremath came to a relieved halt, and waited for one of the slave drivers to come up the line and unlock the yoke from his body. As was part of his unofficial role as the 'boss', he made sure that all the other slaves in his line were cut free first before stepping forward to be released. The thirty-pound harness was taken away at last, and Tremath stretched his arms above his head almost luxuriously. He probably strained something else today._

"_His lordship Ajhim says you're all doing a bang up job, maggots," the slave driver sneered, cracking his barbed whip tauntingly. His temper boiling, Tremath turned and fixed the man with a cold, nerve-wracking glare that was reserved only for the most contemptible life forms. Even for a slave, Tremath possessed a certain amount of pride, and he did not enjoy being mocked. _

_The slave driver, a man in his prime named Tajak, did not appreciate the insolent stare. _

"_Mind yourself, worm," he snarled, gripping the whip handle tightly. "I've a notion to teach you some manners if you don't watch that attitude of yours."_

"_I hardly think you of all people are fit to teach anything, let alone manners," Tremath shot back, before the rational part of his mind could tell him to shut up. _

_CRACK._

_Before Tremath had time to even blink, the whip lashed out and tore across his face, catching him in the eye. Biting back a yelp of pain, Tremath sank to one knee as hot blood began streaming down his cheek, mingling with sweat and rain drops. He brought a shaking hand up to his eye, and was startled to feel a deep gash. Fortunately it just missed the eyeball, but it stung to touch and was bleeding quite profusely._

_Tajak spat upon the kneeling boy and turned away, inwardly fuming at the insult that had earned the slave boy a reprimanding strike. _

_Tremath felt warm hands on his shoulders. He glanced up to see Shula leaning over him, biting her lip anxiously. She gasped when their eyes met, horrified at the slash in his face._

"_Oh Trey, you must control your tongue!" she lamented, helping him to his feet as he had done for her not too long ago. "I swear, if you aren't careful with your words, the Warden might step in and deal with you himself."_

"_I'll try to be more careful," he mumbled, secretly pleased at her touch. She kept one hand on his arm as the two of them walked side by side behind the dispersing group of young slaves. _

"_I should hope so," Shula replied, giving him a disapproving look. "I certainly don't want to have to sing YOU into the next world."_

_((((((((((0))))))))))_

"_Hold still!"_

"_I am, damn it."_

"_No you're not. I said stop fidgeting."_

"_Well, it hurts, Shula!"_

"_Give me a moment, would you? Yevon's beard, and I thought you were tough."_

_Tremath tried to glare at her for that comment, but it hurt his fresh wound too much to allow the change in expression. Shula stared him down before continuing to dab at his eye with a wet cloth, soaked in some strange healing chemical that was supposed to kill bacteria. It burned like a fiend, but Tremath's pride forbade him from complaining again. _

_Finally, Shula pulled away and smirked down at him, her verdant eyes crinkling ever so slightly. _

"_Infant," she teased._

"_Scallywag," he retorted, reaching up to touch his newly cleaned cut. She slapped his hand away._

"_Don't touch it, you silly creature. Give it time to heal," she ordered, turning away to crouch by the hearth. Next to the firelight, it was effortless to see through the still-damp clothing that barely covered her body. Tremath could easily see the numerous scars ribboning across her lightly muscled back. His heart clenched at the sight of it, even though his body had suffered the same abuse, worse in fact. _

"_Shula . . . sing for my mother. Please?" he asked suddenly, wanting to distract himself from seeing her old scars. It hurt too much, seeing such a lovely girl's body so brutally marred. Strangely, it was somewhat less painful to think about his mother's passing. He imagined her body was still out in the rain, and would soon be turned into a feast for the carrion fiends. His stomach clenched at the image. He had never been too close to his mother, but aside from Shula, she had been his one true human connection. She was senile and absent-minded, not to mention irritable because of her weakening condition, but she was Mum. She was the only living relative that he had ever known. _

_The others in the shack were either asleep on their little straw mattresses, or hunched by the fire, eating watery gruel from wooden bowls. Tremath had eaten his fill of the disgusting concoction not too long ago. There were over one hundred shacks in the slave quarter, each constructed of one room large enough to house about ten people. _

_Shula's face softened at the request and nodded, standing up once more. She wrapped a thin cotton shawl around her thin body for extra warmth before she began. _

_Tremath closed his eyes, lying down on his mattress in a foetal position as her lyrical voice washed over him. Around the shack, others sighed peacefully and settled themselves to listen, entranced as usual by Shula's gift of song. _

_She sang about sunshine and fields of wildflowers, full of birds and streams. She sang of freedom and love. She sang of Yevon and His love. _

_Tremath wept no tears for the mother he lost. How could he feel sadness when Shula's song was so moving, so tranquil?_

_The shack was hauntingly still when her voice faded into silence. Tremath opened his eyes a crack and gazed up at Shula's silhouette, mesmerized by the halo of red her hair made against the firelight. _

"_Thank you," he whispered to her. Everyone else was already asleep. Shula smiled and leaned down to him, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. _

"_Anytime, my friend," she murmured back, her lips lingering near his ear. The young boy moved backwards slightly, making room for her on the mattress. He wanted her near him. He wanted to smell her hair and listen to her rhythmic breathing. He wanted to feel her small body in his arms. _

_Shula seemed to hesitate for a moment, but only out of surprise. Tremath rarely, if ever, showed any affection towards her, even though she was his best friend. This sudden act of tenderness took her off guard, although she welcomed it very much. _

_Eagerly she climbed in next to him, sighing almost inaudibly as he let the meagre blanket fall over them both. Shula snuggled closer to him, tucking her hands against his chest near her face as his arms closed in around her. _

"_We need to get out of here," he said quietly, after a long time had passed. "You and me. We need to escape, Shula." He knew she was still awake, her active mind unwilling to cooperate with her tired eyelids. At that moment he could have sworn he felt her heart skip a beat._

"_Impossible," she whispered in response, frowning against him. "It's a wonderful idea, Trey, but . . . we could never make it. The Warden has guards posted everywhere. We'll be slain before we even reach the edge of the Quarter."_

"_I will not live the rest of my life in here, Shu," he insisted, tightening his hold on her. "And I won't let you either. It is not just a dream, or a fantasy. If we work together, we can find our way to freedom. Just like in your song. We can make your song real."_

"_What will we do?"_

"_Anything. Everything. Anything we want, just the both of us. I'd take care of you."_

"_We could die if they catch us."_

"_I would rather die breaking free than rot out in that damned field, and you cannot tell me you don't want to try as well. Do you trust me?"_

_There was a long breathless pause. Tremath was grateful that his other shackmates were asleep and could not overhear their conversation. He wouldn't put it past them to report him and Shula to the Warden for conspiracy to escape. _

"_Yes, Trey," Shula replied at long last. "I trust you. You know I do."_

"_Good. I'll get us out of here, Shu. I promise."_

_((((((((((((0))))))))))))_

_Less than a week later, two small shadowy figures scrambled over the outer wall and dropped soundlessly to the ground below in the dead of night. _

"_Hurry!" Tremath whispered from behind his cloak mask, grabbing Shula's hand. He was extremely conscious of the kitchen knife concealed in his stolen robe. The pair of them sprinted into the thick surrounding forest, fear fuelling their speed. Not far behind, they could hear the ravenous snarls of tracking dogs and the shouts of their masters. The back gate, which was nearest to where the escapees had been spotted, was gradually swinging open on rusty hinges. Right on the other side, hunters would be waiting readily on horseback, prepared with nets and rope for slave catching. _

_Only the moonlight provided any visual aid. Yevon, fortunately, had blessed Tremath with excellent eyesight, and he led his friend through the lush tropical forest with greater ease than he had expected. It was still raining, so tracking would be very difficult for the hunters and their dogs. _

_They ran. They ran long and hard, not once stopping or wanting to stop. The adrenaline was too sweet, to strong to brush aside. It even drowned out the fear. Tremath had never felt so exhilarated in all his life. Until now he had never been so far from the plantation grounds. Hell, he'd never even been outside the main wall! He felt like he was flying. _

_At his side, Shula voiced a short, breathless laugh. They were so close. So close to freedom! In a matter of days the trackers would give up. Lord Ajhim would replace them with newer, younger slaves, and they would be forgotten in no time. Slaves had escaped before, and although most of them had ended up being caught and punished severely, a few lucky ones had managed to break away completely. _

_It was nearly dawn by the time the two of them felt safe enough to rest. They crawled into a hollow tree and slept nestled against each other, partly for warmth and partly for comfort. Indeed they were both scared and uncertain, having never been away from the plantation before. But the prospect of freedom was far too promising to give up now that they were almost safe from recapture. _

_Tremath and Shula slept throughout the morning and afternoon, when a hungry rumble in his stomach woke the young man up from his slumber. Moving carefully so as not to awaken his still snoring companion, Tremath slipped out into the forest, keeping his eyes open for any signs of ambush. The trees were silent, watchful in the fading light. Even the insects and birds seemed calm. Thankfully the rain had stopped some time last night_

_Venturing further into the underbrush, the escaped slave boy was overjoyed to find a ripe mango tree, laden with tender fruit for the picking. He was in the middle of gathering an armload to bring back and share with Shula when he heard a shrill scream. _

_Dropping the fruit and pulling out his small kitchen knife, Tremath dashed back towards the hollow tree. He realized with a sick jolt that Shula's cry had been cut short, as if something ominous had silenced her. What if she was dead, murdered on sight by angry trackers? What if they had shoved a gang into her mouth, a trademark indicator that they were about to violate her body? _

'_Why did I have to leave her?' he wondered desperately, fighting to calm his racing heart as the gnawing fear and anger swelled up in his stomach. 'I promised to keep her safe! I promised to protect her!' He pumped his legs furiously, cursing himself for having wandered so far out of sight. They had been safe. They had nearly been out of reach! How could he have let this happen? _

_When he at last reached the hollow tree after running for what seemed an eternity, Tremath felt his throat constrict with pain. Shula was gone, and in her wake there was nothing but cold, empty silence. _

_((((((((((((0))))))))))))_

_He never saw her again._

_Shula was gone forever. No doubt she had been killed, or brutally tortured for her attempts at escaping. Tremath knew this with grim certainty, and upon realizing that there was nothing he could do for her, he set his sights on freedom once again. He was smart enough to understand that he would virtually commit suicide should he try to avenge her. What good would it do to throw away his own life when he had a chance for something else? Shula would not want that for him, selfish as he felt for knowing this._

_Other hunters would come for him, that much was obvious. They would not be completely satisfied with taking back only one slave. So, after a moment spent in quiet mourning for his friend, Tremath turned on his heels and marched away, blinking back unshed tears of helpless regret and guilt._

_He was completely safe a week later, when he sensed that the hunters had finally given up on finding him. By this time, he had reached a small fishing village and crept aboard a ship as a stowaway. In the time before airships, it was incredibly difficult to withstand a month-long sail across the ocean without being noticed._

_But stealth had become his gift. It was the sole talent he possessed that saved his life on more than one occasion. _

_When at last the ship docked in Kilika Island, Tremath experienced life as a free man. It was certainly more difficult than he had imagined, but he had known better than to assume it would be completely easy to earn one's way in the world. After a while of uncertain roaming, he managed to find a low-paying job working in a butcher shop under the apprenticeship of a square-jawed ox of a man named Barthello. Any other human being would have found the job tiresome and gruelling, but Tremath could have laughed at his good fortune, had his heart not been so heavy with remorse for Shula's fate. Barthello's temper was short and he was quick to deliver a swift kick in the rear for any of what he considered 'slacking off', but Tremath barely even noticed. After a lifetime of daily cruel beatings with a barbed whip, an occasional kick was practically nothing. _

_The wound on his face had healed, but it left a permanent scar in its stead. Tremath did not care. Most people found it intimidating, even a little admirable. That added with his tall height and wiry build ensured that folks stayed out of his way. Barthello let Tremath sleep in the storage room, where a small futon mattress had been rolled up and forgotten. The gruff man had even reluctantly agreed to let Tremath take lessons on how to read and write. In a matter of months, Tremath's education came along nicely. _

_Thus, a year passed, and then another. Near the end of Tremath's third year as a butcher's apprentice (Barthello insisted on keeping him under thumb for as long as humanly possible), the young man witnessed a sight that rekindled the hatred he had long ago buried. _

"_Clumsy, useless bitch! Get down and clean it up."_

"_Master, I'm sorry, I-"_

"_I SAID CLEAN IT UP!"_

_Tremath stiffened as he heard the distantly familiar sound of a whip cracking and a groan of pain. He wiped his bloodied hands on his apron, before grabbing a meat cleaver and heading towards the door. Nobody ever said handling freshly slaughtered animal carcasses was a clean job. _

_On the empty street just outside the door of the butcher shop, a tall powerfully built man dressed in bright orange robes was towering over a young woman who was on her knees, flinching as the man's whip came down on her back repeatedly. She had apparently dropped an expensive-looking vase, for the ceramic shards still littered the ground in front of her. It was clear that they were southern visitors to Kilika, judging by the foreign clothes they wore and the fact that the girl was obviously a slave. Slavery had been outlawed in the rest of Spira for over a thousand years, ever since the teachings of Yevon were introduced. Only the southern countries permitted the slave trade to continue. _

_Tremath felt his lips tighten into a thin line. He clenched his fists and squared his shoulders, taking a purposeful step towards the two. Oblivious to the enraged young man's presence, the slave owner continued to flail the helpless girl's back mercilessly. _

_He came to an abrupt halt when he felt a vice-like grip on his wrist, causing the lashing to cease immediately. Startled, the girl lifted her red-rimmed eyes to see what had happened._

"_Who the bloody hell do you think you are, you filthy peasant bastard?" the slave owner demanded, curling his lip with disgusted anger. Tremath tightened his hold, causing the man to blanche and drop the whip._

"_I highly suggest you put an end to this brutality, sir," Tremath hissed dangerously through gritted teeth. "Leave the girl alone."_

_Briefly his eyes flickered over to the still-grovelling slave, who was gazing up at him with disbelief clearly marked on her face. Tremath felt his heart melt. Although she bore no resemblance to Shula, he could plainly see his old friend staring back at him through this hapless girl's teary eyes. _

_The orange-robed man snorted weakly. "I'd like to see you stop me, you little miscreant. She is my slave. Her welfare is my business."_

"_Let her go," Tremath persisted quietly. _

"_Unhand me," his opponent snarled. "I will tear her limb from limb should I see fit to do it, and it would be no concern of yours. She is a worthless whore whose life belongs to me."_

_Something seemed to have snap then. Perhaps it was memories of Shula's scream echoing in the recesses of his mind. Maybe it was because the smug, self-assured glint in the man's eye reminded him strongly of the Warden and Lord Ajhim. Maybe it was the recollection of a thousand scars criss-crossing over his back. Then again, perhaps it was a combination of all these and more. _

_Either way, the meat cleaver in his hand was raised high as if possessed by its own will, and drove its edge into the man's chest. Unable even to scream, the slave owner went limp, dropping the whip and sagging to his knees, gasping silently as the blood spurted from his mouth and gaping chest wound. Then he fell forward onto his stomach, twitching uncontrollably._

_Tremath stood over the dying man with an impassive look on his face. His eyes contained an icy blankness devoid of emotion, a new emptiness where once there had been a glowing fierceness. The slave girl covered her mouth with one hand and scrambled away from her master's struggling body, a look of horror on her face. Her glance flickered between her owner and the young man who had struck him. _

"_Run," Tremath stated calmly, his eyes fixed on her. She gave a muffled cry and scrambled to her feet, dashing down the deserted street throwing fearful looks over her shoulder. _

_He stared down at the man's body, which had suddenly stopped moving. Blood pooled around the orange robes, oozing out slowly. Then, without even batting an eyelid, Tremath thrust the blade of the cleaver into the man's back and walked away, calmly removing his greasy bloodstained stained apron and letting it fall gracefully to the ground behind him. _

_It was the last thing anyone would ever find connected to an orphaned former slave boy who worked as a butcher's long-term apprentice. That boy died the instant the meat cleaver tasted human blood on its edge. _

_All that remained in the aftermath of that day on Kilika Island was Tremath, now a man. A man with no heart, no conscience, and Yevon willing, no memory of the life that drove him to madness. _


	22. One More Surprise

Tidus sighed heavily and leaned his head back against the rock wall behind him, closing his eyes. The young man was sitting chest-deep, naked, in a luxurious hot spring located under the Al Bhed encampment in a spacious stone cave that had been hollowed out long ago. The cavern was lit only by clusters of candles placed on stone shelves here and there. Tidus had not known of the hot springs' existence until Rikku unceremoniously told him that he needed to bathe and directed him to the guest spring, where he would be given some privacy away from the residents. There was a decent-sized yet fairly discreet hole above for ventilation. It gave him a lovely view of the stars that were only just beginning to emerge.

He still could not believe that no more than two hours ago he had been arguing and debating with Sir Auron and Mistress Lulu, trying in vain to convince them not to come along with himself and Yuna on the journey. He would have appreciated their company, and would have been relieved at having their wisdom and warrior skills to back him up, but at the same time he felt guilty about letting them put themselves in danger for a cause that had little to do with either of them. They should get married and have children together in some secret location where harm could never come to them. The conspiracy was Tidus' and Yuna's concern, and the young man had no desire to involve others if he could avoid it.

Then again, both he and Yuna had dangerously underestimated the warrior and mage's stubbornness. They had argued and debated for a long time until it became all too clear that both Auron and Lulu were completely dedicated to putting a stop to the conspiracy, and no amount of pleading or frustrated demands could bend their will.

Tidus' thoughts were interrupted when he heard a gentle splashing noise in the cave. He opened his eyes and lifted his head up to find Yuna wading through the steaming water, naked like himself, her hair still tied up in a loose horse tail. She smiled at him when she noticed him looking at her, lips parted slightly as he took in the sight of her.

"Rikku told me where I would find you," she explained, drawing nearer to him. Her voice echoed softly in the cave, and her supple body made ripples in the otherwise tranquil water. Once her strength had returned, she healed the bruises mottling her skin. Tidus smiled back at her and moved over on the ledge he was sitting on, making room for her to join him. She eased her way into the seat and leaned against the warm cliff at her back, sighing in relaxation. Tidus slipped an arm around her and pulled her against him, allowing her to adjust her position so her head nestled in the curve between his neck and shoulder.

"I don't know if we did the right thing, allowing Lulu and Auron to join us," he told her after a moment of comfortable silence.

"Something tells me they would have come whether we said they could or not," Yuna replied, smiling dryly against him. "They don't strike me as a very submissive pair."

"I know," he agreed. "Still . . . it doesn't seem fair to them."

He explained his thoughts and feelings to her as the sky darkened above. She listened closely with a look of understanding interest, patiently hearing him out. The stars were brighter, more numerous as they blossomed from their invisible daylight hiding places. The top of Yuna's head and shoulders glowed a pale silvery blue from the night sky above them, but the lower half of her body gleamed a soft gold from the candlelight of the cave. Her skin looked sleek, shiny from sweat and steam. She was beautiful.

When he finished speaking, Yuna pulled away slightly to look him in the eye.

"But the conspiracy is not solely ours to worry about, Tidus," she told him gently. "If we don't succeed, and we both know what the chances of that are, think how many other innocent people may be chosen. If we do not find a way to stop Seymour, the Children of Light ceremony could continue for goodness knows how long. Lulu lost her home to the Yevonites. Sir Auron lost his best friends to the conspiracy. I think we owe them the chance for vengeance and justice."

To his own embarrassment, Tidus had not thought of it that way. He had been so concerned with getting to Bevelle that he had not stopped to think of what could happen should they fail, or die before reaching their destination. He sighed and lowered his head against Yuna's.

"You're right," he said quietly. "You're absolutely right. Auron and Lulu have as much right to join us as anyone. This is Spira's problem, not just yours and mine."

"Of course," Yuna replied with a smile. "And besides, we could certainly use their help."

"Hey," Tidus protested, frowning in mock hurt. "Are you saying I'm not a good enough guardian for you?"

She giggled, going along with the game. "Well, you have your moments, but let's not be foolish, boy. You are no Sir Auron."

" 'Boy'? Now you've done it," he sniffed. "You've gone and hurt my feelings."

Her warm hand reached up and grabbed him by the shoulder, pulling him back to the ledge so that his back rested against the rock wall. He felt her lips press against his ear, sending delicious chills down his spine. Suddenly he was reminded of that night in Lulu's village, before the screams and explosions had interrupted the two of them. They had never finished that conversation by the hot spring . . .

"Let's make love," Yuna whispered, her arms circling his neck.

"Here?" he asked in a low voice, his eyes glazing over.

"Yes. Here in the water, under the stars."

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He was scared. No amount of self-reassurance or Yuna's trusting smiles could sway him of the feeling. He was afraid of failing the mission and accomplishing nothing for the rest of Spira. He was afraid of dying in Bevelle at gunpoint, never reaching their ultimate goal. It frightened him, imagining the inevitable confrontation with Lord Seymour and Sin.

Most of all, Tidus was scared of the prospect of seeing Yuna die, and somehow being left alive without her. Could he survive such a thing? Should he by some horrible miracle go on living after Yuna might die facing Sin, how would he be able to wake up every morning to an empty bed? Not even the prospect of death frightened him more than that.

Perhaps that is why it was so difficult . . . no, damn near impossible for him to say that he loved her when he knew she wanted to hear it, and when he wanted desperately to tell her. Maybe if he told her those few small words, it would in some way bind his soul to hers in a way that would make separation unbearable. It would be officially declaring that she was a part of him, and any risk to her life was a risk to his life. If he were to never see her again, or if he were to watch her die and be utterly incapable of saving her, it would tear him down from the inside out and he would never be complete again.

The young man sat morosely by the enormous bonfire, food and wine forgotten in front of him. Cid and Rikku had decided to hold a celebration in honour of their guests, and insisted on having music played. It was strange, alien music to Tidus. Rather than drums and lutes or other primitive instruments he was used to in Besaid, the Al Bhed had unusual electric appliances and technological devices warping the sound. It was rather interesting to listen to, but Tidus was miles away from it all, lost in the depths of his distressing thoughts. He was clean and refreshed from his bath, but his mind would give him no peace.

In some ways he wished he had never met Yuna. In some ways he wished he had never been chosen to accompany her to the Final Sending. Life would have remained simple, blissfully ignorant of the temple's secrecy. He never would have fallen under her spell, nor allow her to seep her way into the core of his soul. No woman had been able to bury herself so deeply inside him. Nobody had ever become a part of him like that.

Then again . . .

He lifted his azure eyes to see Yuna, standing and talking to Lulu and Rikku with a placid expression on her face, obviously enjoying the carousing around her. The firelight danced in her hair and eyes, making her flesh glow. The desert garment Rikku had loaned her earlier that day hung loosely around her figure. Sensing his eyes on her, Yuna seemed to pause in mid-sentence, turning her head slightly to look directly back at him. Their gazes held, and she smiled at him, holding her hand up to wave.

Tidus smiled back and returned the silent greeting. No, it had all been worth it. Just to see the happiness on her face made everything feel worthwhile.

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Crimson eyes flickered open. Pale dawn blushed outside the tent walls, and somewhere outside a solitary bird was whistling.

The woman closed her eyes again and snuggled further into the bed, showing uncharacteristic refusal to face the day. Departure day. Just a few more minutes of sleep wouldn't hurt. It was so warm and comfortable here, so quiet and peaceful . . .

"Nice try," a deep voice behind her said. "But we have to get up." A strong arm tightened around her waist, and a pair of lips smiles into the back of her neck, amused. She sighed and rolled onto her other side, resting her face against his.

"Do I have to?" she asked with a fake pout, keeping her eyes closed so that she would not see the humour in his remaining eye staring back at her. "I can think of a few good reasons to stay here."

She brought her hand up and ran it along his firm chest and down his hard stomach, clearly hinting at something particular. Even though he made hardly sound, she could feel him chuckle as he folded his hand over hers.

"Much as the idea appeals to me," he said, sitting up and stretching on the double cot, "I'm afraid we don't have a choice. The earlier we set out, the better."

Still curled up on her side, the woman watched her lover as he stood up to get dressed, admiring his figure in the golden glow of morning. In spite of the fact that he was pushing forty, Sir Auron was in undeniably excellent shape. There were only a few streaks of grey in his black hair, and even the long scar running through his one permanently closed eye did nothing to take away from his rugged features. In fact, it made him all the more attractive. And Lulu was a woman who dearly enjoyed attractive men, young or old.

It had been a long time since she had seen Auron last, but the two of them had parted on good terms, and the chemistry between them had never faded. When she met up with him in the forest, not long after her village fell, she had instantly wanted to be at his side again, remembering the feelings he so easily invoked in her. Without hesitation he took care of her, nursed her through the pain of losing her people and captain Jardo, who had been one of her oldest friends. She appreciated his stoic silence and dry sense of humour that virtually mirrored her own. She treasured his ability to be either extremely tender or grim and warrior-like. He was courageous, as the legends and stories proved, and it seemed that there was nothing in all of Spira that he feared. Of course, Lulu knew him well enough not to believe that. Auron feared many things, but he possessed a stubbornness that forbade him from ever showing it. Only she of all people really understood that Auron did indeed have a vulnerable side, but he kept it carefully concealed.

Auron dressed quickly, completely aware of her smouldering ruby eyes following his every move. He smirked, keeping his back to her as he strapped his massive Katana to his broad back.

"I'm grateful for the attention, Lulu, but we are going to be leaving in less than an hour. I suggest you get ready. There's a long journey ahead of us, and the first day is the hardest one to get through."

Smiling, Lulu sat up and arched her back in a luxurious stretch, rolling her head to rid herself of any remaining kinks in her neck. She felt Auron's gaze on her, watching her fountain of ebony hair fall gracefully around her shoulders and back, admiring her much like she had admired him moments ago.

"Do you think they are in love?" she asked, trusting him to know whom she was talking about. Both of them had seen the affection between Tidus and Yuna last night, and neither of them was surprised.

"More than I believed possible," he replied, standing nearby as she slipped into her favourite black corseted dress with the belted skirt. "Jecht used to say that some day they could make a nice-looking pair. It figures."

Lulu finished tying up her corset strings (after having practiced doing so on her own for quite some time) and began arranging her hair into its usual fashion, pulled back in a bun with clusters of braids spilling down.

"I think it will make things all the more difficult," she told him, thrusting the last hair stick in place. "I cannot say I know exactly what will happen, but I fear for them. Losing one would mean torture for the other."

"And they are both so young," the man commented behind her, his voice softening. "I had hoped they wouldn't fall for each other so soon. What are the chances of them succeeding? Yuna means to defeat Sin once and for all. That's no easy vow to follow through with and stay alive."

"The chances have improved, now that you are here," Lulu said generously, turning to smile at him.

"We'll both help them," he corrected, opening his arms to her. She embraced him tightly, melting against him as she had done many times before.

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Breakfast was eaten hastily in the meeting tent, a meal consisting of bread, cheese, and fresh milk. Auron and Lulu ate next to each other, and Rikku sat across from them behind the small fire. In spite of her small size, Rikku ate with a fierce hunger rivalling that of a desert jackal. Cid stood nearby, having already eaten, a solemn look on his round face. Tidus and Yuna sat side by side, eating silently. Both of them had the exact same thoughts in mind.

In the short time they had spent in the Al Bhed camp, it had begun to feel like a temporary home. They had become accustomed to it, and Tidus would sorely miss the company of the people he had once considered enemies. It was with a heavy heart that he would leave this place, and he knew Yuna would be just as unhappy about it.

"Well, we should get going," Rikku said, setting her plate aside and standing up cheerfully. "It's better to travel by morning and evening, since it gets way too hot in the afternoon."

"Does that 'we' include you?" Lulu inquired, raising a delicately arched eyebrow. Tidus and Yuna glanced up with surprise. Auron simply stared at her. Cid released a heavy sigh and rubbed his temples, not looking at all surprised. Rikku stared back at the Black Mage pointedly.

"Uh, yeah?" she snorted. "You thought I was going to stay behind?"

"You are mistaken, Rikku," Auron cut in sharply. "You accompanying us was never part of the agreement."

"Well, like it or not I'm coming with you," the Al Bhed girl replied firmly, placing her fists on her narrow hips. "No way am I going to sit around while you guys take on an army of Yevonites, not to mention an ancient demon monster! If you want me to stay, you'll have to tie me up in chains."

"That can be arranged," Auron said threateningly. Rikku glared back, completely unafraid.

"Hey, since when did you become the king of free will?" she demanded, sounding very much offended. "I should be allowed to help! It's my duty as an Al Bhed to make sure you guys stay out of trouble."

"Flattered as we are by your concern," Lulu said smoothly, resting a pacifying hand on Auron's knee, "I really don't think your supervision is necessary. I am sure you are much more needed here."

"Like hell she is!" Cid barked from his standing position behind his daughter. "May the stars above help you if one of you tries to get in her way. When my little girl puts her mind to something, she sticks with it."

"Yunie?" Rikku said, changing tones abruptly to a pleading voice. She eyed Yuna imploringly. "What do you say, huh? I can come, can't I?"

"I-I, well . . . uh . . ." Yuna stammered, clearly unsure of what to say. She shifted her gaze from the Al Bhed teenager to Tidus, to Auron and Lulu. "I don't really know, Rikku."

"Oh, come on!" Rikku protested. "You mean to say you'd turn down your own cousin?"

For a moment there was nothing but stunned, confused silence from each individual present. Yuna's eyes widened.

"Wh-what?" she whispered. "What did you say?"

Rikku frowned at her, puzzled by the young woman's amazement. Then she seemed to realize something displeasing, because a furious glare came to her face and she whirled around to face her father. Cid had gone very pale and was licking his lips nervously, almost flinching as his daughter's murderous gaze fell on him.

"You didn't _tell her_?" Rikku shouted, loud enough probably to wake the whole encampment. "You had the while damn night and you didn't even tell her she was your _niece_?"

"Come on now, kiddo," Cid said weakly. "It's big news! I wasn't sure how to bring it up. I mean, it was difficult enough trying to tell you, and . . ."

"Excuse me, but . . . I'm . . . your niece?" Yuna interjected, her eyes darting between Rikku and Cid. The Al Bhed man sighed heavily and gave her an apologetic look.

"I'm real sorry I didn't tell you sooner, Yuna," he said slowly, trying to ignore the displeased expression on his daughter's face. "But it's true. Your mother was my sister."

"My mother . . ."

"Yup," Rikku said, her voice much less shrill. "So, you're half Al Bhed, Yunie. And my cousin!"

"Wow," Tidus whistled through his teeth, placing a gentle hand on Yuna's shoulder.

"But . . . this is so unexpected," the summoner's daughter said softly. "I had no idea my mother had living relatives."

"Look, I'd love to answer your questions, but you guys gotta hit the road soon. Like Rikku said, you should make a head start before noon sets in. The heat is something terrible," Cid told them, scratching the back of his head and avoiding their stares.

"Let Rikku come," Tidus said suddenly, smiling sympathetically at Yuna's newly discovered relative. "She can answer Yuna's questions on the way. Anyway, I think she could be a big help. I mean, she knows this desert like the back of her hand right?"

"Right!" Rikku chimed in, raising a fist emphatically. "You bet I know this place. I can show you all the safest paths, how to watch out for quick sand and desert fiends, and poisonous plants, and flying thorn traps! Oh, and I can teach you how to take shelter during a sand storm. And-"

"All right!" Auron snapped, quick to interrupt as she began to ramble. "All right. You can come along. Just don't expect us to go easy on you. We'll be travelling hard, Rikku, so you'd better keep up."

The blonde gave him 'a look'. "_Sir_ Auron," she said haughtily, "by the end of the day _you _will be begging me to slow down."


	23. A Bold Decision

All around him, the raging activity was little more than a blur. Wakka moved slowly, stuffing his sleeping roll into its bag with carefully trained precision. His hands shook, and his russet eyes were glazed over in thought as the other soldiers hurried to make the departure a swift one.

Wakka had no idea what to do.

Help Tidus . . .

Or shut up and follow orders?

Who was right?

Who was wrong?

If he abandoned one, he would be a traitor either way, but whom could he afford to betray in the end? His best friend, his god, or himself?

"Hey, red!" someone barked nearby, jolting the young man out of his pensive daze. "Get a move on. The Maester's got a giant bar up his ass lately, ya hear? Don't slow us down."

Nodding mutely, Wakka forced himself to move faster, wishing vainly that he had been blessed with the gift of Foresight. It would be so much easier to make this precarious decision if he knew for certain what the outcome for each choice would be.

Slinging his bags over each shoulder, he stood up and jogged towards the makeshift corral where the horses were kept. At the moment, two guards were opening the gate and leading horses out four at a time for their masters to collect them.

Although often lacking in physical grace and sometimes common sense, Wakka did possess uncanny vision and hearing (which came in handy during his Yevonite training). These talents suddenly kicked in when a flash of white caught his eye. Without faltering a single step, the Yevonite Warrior followed the distraction through his peripheral sight, automatically recognizing the garb of a cleric. The priest was rushing towards another of his order, having been ushered over for an urgent talk. Wakka's keen ears strained above the bustling noise long enough to catch a single phrase:

"Brother, have you not heard? Lady Yuna is with the Al Bhed!"

And quite abruptly the two of them disappeared into a small tent, one of the few remaining that had not yet been taken down. But Wakka had heard all he needed to convince himself to follow them. Wherever the Lady Yuna was, Tidus was there too.

Careful to avoid being noticed, Wakka smoothly veered off his course and headed towards the tent, keeping his strides even and unhurried. His pulse quickened with nervous anticipation as he slipped around the back of the tent, glancing over his broad shoulder to make sure no one had seen him sneak off. The last thing he wanted was for someone to catch him eavesdropping on a delicate conversation between two holymen.

He crouched down between the back wall of the tent and a wide bush that Wakka hoped would do a good job of concealing him. His ears tuned in suddenly to catch the beginning of the dialogue.

" . . . they lay one hand on her, so help me I'll curse them to the Dead Lands myself! She must be in perfect condition, or else - "

"Preposterous. You know that law of theirs . . . chances are they are helping her across the Rammvena as we speak."

"They will burn for it nonetheless, the heathens."

"I doubt Meister Seymour is very worried about the Al Bhed, brother."

"Has he mentioned why he wants to make it to Bevelle so quickly? Surely at the pace he plans to travel, we will be ahead of Lady Yuna and Master Tidus by at least two days."

"I believe that is what he has anticipated already. Do you not see what he means to do?"

"Of course I see, but . . . would it not make more sense to arrive shortly after they do? If they show up at the temple and see us lying in wait, they could turn tails and run."

"So we'll remain hidden. Let them snoop around the temple all they want, searching for answers to whatever little questions they have concerning Sin and the ceremony, and then, when the moment is right, we take them by surprise."

Wakka felt his stomach clench painfully with shock. Sin? What on Spira were these priests doing talking about Sin? Surely it had been destroyed ten years ago . . . he remembered the way the world had practically trembled with the sounds of celebration when the news spread that Lord Braska had finally vanquished the age-old demon.

"But why? What if somehow they stumble across a way to defeat the monster once and for all?"

"It matters not what they find. Ultimately, they will be unable to resist this army. We are too powerful for them, and no matter how hard they fight back, Lady Yuna _will_ be sacrificed."

"It'll be a real shame to hand her over to Sin. She was always such a kind child, and-"

"I advise you not to dwell on it, brother. There is nothing we can do to change her fate. Either Sin has her and Seymour takes in her magic, or Sin rises again and we all suffer for it."

"And that boy with her? Tidus? What will become of him?"

"He is inconsequential. Whether he lives or dies does not matter in the end. No doubt Seymour has some private scheme cooked up for him. Either that, or the assassin has already taken care of him and left Lady Yuna on her own for us to handle."

Wakka blanched and his breath caught in his throat.

"So the rumours are true? Tremath was summoned at last? I wondered what he was doing, following our troops around like that."

"Seymour always keeps him at hand to do his dirty work. Yes, he sent that criminal out a few days ago with instructions to kill Tidus."

"Any news of what happened?"

"Only disappointing news, judging by the Maester's attitude lately."

Unconsciously, Wakka sagged with relief.

"How peculiar."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I once heard whispers that Maester Seymour had his heart set on Tidus' mother long ago, and . . ."

But Wakka was no longer listening. Practically reeling with nausea, the young man rose shakily to his feet and backed away from the tent, unable to grasp what he had just heard. Some small, rational part of his mind that had not been fully crushed by shock and indignation told him that he should not consider the gossip of temple priests the absolute truth. There was no evidence he could clearly identify to back up all that had been unintentionally bestowed upon him.

But the other, stronger, more instinctive part of him was blinded by horror and rapidly growing anger. How _dare _the temples lie to Spira! How _dare _they plot such things as murder and sacrifice!

Sin was still alive (if you could call it a living creature), kept in secret like some hideous pet ushered into hiding. That alone was the greatest evil Wakka could imagine of the priests capable of doing. Sacrifice and death were bad enough, but to declare publicly that a monster of unimaginable power had been finally destroyed while in truth it was being held in captivity was a crime too grave for any punishment.

Wakka stumbled into the small knot of trees behind the tent, his knees shaking as if weary under the weight of all these dark thoughts. Swallowing the urge to vomit, he forced himself to calm the racing of his heart and _think_. There was so much noise all around him, so much commotion . . .

He had lost a brother to Sin.

'_What do I do?'_

Both his parents fell to its clutches soon after.

'_This can't be what it seems . . .'_

Tidus was going to die, and he was powerless to stop it while standing in the middle of an army obliviously following instructions without knowing what its true purpose was. The knowledge of that fact slammed into him like a raging bull, leaving him somewhat stunned and senseless for a moment.

Suddenly Wakka spied Maester Seymour, standing on top of a small hill, watching imperiously as the soldiers dispersed. Campfires glowed eerily beneath him, lighting up his grim features in a pale orange glow, glittering in the depths of his grey soulless eyes. For the first time, the Besaid native truly realized just how utterly frightening the Maester looked, how sharp and angry his presence was. He left a cold wake wherever he went, and people could not help but fear, loathe, and respect him. His voice was enough to make anyone's skin crawl with its false gentleness, masking maliciousness that always lay beneath the surface, hidden in every syllable he spoke.

Wakka's finger knotted into tight fists at either side. He was not going to stand by and let some mindless assassin murder his best friend. He was not going to follow the orders of a crazed Guado mage and bestow Lady Yuna's spirit to the demon creature Sin. For once he was going to take a stand and fight for what he truly believed in, and more than ever he found himself believing in Tidus and Lady Yuna's word.

While carrying on the typical moving out ritual, the other soldiers and officers were too preoccupied to notice a single redheaded rider crossing the river in the dark. They would not realize his absence until very late the next day.

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Rikku was surprisingly accurate in her earlier prediction. By the end of the first day of travel, the other members of the party were on the verge of begging her to have mercy and stop. The spunky Al Bhed girl came to a halt atop a sand dune, after practically skipping ahead of the others. Shielding her verdant eyes against the dying evening light, she surveyed the desert before her with trained vision.

"There!" she called suddenly, tossing the word over her shoulder to her companions. She pointed downwards to a small cluster of trees some distance away. "I knew it was around here somewhere. We can stop at that oasis for the night. That is, unless you want to keep going?"

"NO," they gasped in chorus, all save Auron. The normally stoic warrior simply let his head fall back as if scanning the heavens, panting heavily and ignoring the beads of sweat rolling off his face.

"We'll rest at the oasis, Rikku," Lulu quickly inserted, pushing damp locks of black hair away from her forehead. She at least managed to deal with her weariness with some grace. Tidus, on the other hand, was bent double, elbows resting on his knees with his head hanging low. He was still clutching Kyrida's reins in one hand, and the black mare stood by him in an unusually subdued manner. Her glossy black sides were slick with sweat, and the corners of her lips were foaming. Her nostrils flared widely with each heavy snorting breath she took. The poor horse had been given the task of carrying much of their heavier supplies, and although she was strong and still in her prime, the animal was certainly not used to desert climates and the heat was not doing her any kindness.

Yuna was leaning against a sun-baked rock, not caring that the stone's raw surface was scorching hot. It was solid. It was support. Nothing else was important.

Rikku's doll-like lips drew together in a pout. "Oh, you guys, it's only another twelve miles to the next one! We can make it if we go at a fast jog."

Yuna gave her newly discovered cousin an outraged look of disbelief, still too worn out to say anything. Rikku wasn't even sweating, for goodness' sake!

"No," Auron cut in, striding ahead to make his way down the dune towards the oasis ahead. "We are stopping at this one right now. We will start again early tomorrow, rest at noon, and continue on until dark."

Throwing him silent looks of gratitude, Lulu, Tidus, and Yuna followed him down the sandy hill with thoughts of water and sleep driving them on. Rikku frowned after them and sighed with resignation, glumly taking the rear.

When at last they reached the tiny oasis, at least ten minutes later, they sank into the tall grass with relief. Yuna relished the cool blades against her skin, untouched by the sunlight due to the trees providing shade above. Rikku casually strode towards the pool and began removing her clothes, humming under her breath. Then, naked as a newborn, she slipped into the water and began cleaning the sand and dirt from her skin. Auron and Lulu took no notice or interest, but Tidus' eyes widened in surprise at her unabashed display. Yuna quickly nudged him in the side to get his attention.

"Al Bhed aren't concerned with modesty like Yevonites are," she told him in a hushed whisper. "You should not stare like that! It's rude to watch someone bathe."

"Are you sure you're not just jealous?" he replied teasingly. She glared at him, but a small smile tugged at her lips.

"Of course not," she muttered, although she had to admit that part of her turned sour at the thought of him staring at other women. Still, it would have been entirely understandable. Rikku was a very attractive young lady. "It's nothing like that. It . . . it just isn't polite, that's all."

At that moment, Lulu followed Rikku's example and promptly stripped off her corseted dress, easing into the pool with a surprising amount of dignity. Auron watched her out of the corner of his eye for a second and smiled secretively with appreciation. The somewhat discreet affection he gave the mage in front of them had not escaped Yuna's notice. She didn't doubt for a second that they were lovers, and found the match to be quite smart.

Tidus glanced over at the nude priestess and dropped his jaw with an exaggerated look of intrigued surprise. Yuna followed his gaze and then slapped his arm in a jokingly reprimanding fashion.

"What did I just tell you, you sneaky little prat?" she demanded, fighting even more to suppress her grin at his game.

"Don't worry Yuna, I only have eyes for you," he told her, compliantly turning his gaze away from the two bathing women. "How could I take interest in someone else?" His voice was laced with humour, but his eyes were completely serious and reassuring. She could not help but release her repressed smile and blush at his comment.

"I know," she replied softly, moving closer to his side. He was about to slip his arm around her waist when Auron called him over to help unravel the sleeping rolls. Sighing with mock exasperation, Tidus moved to help the warrior while Yuna took initiative to take away Kyrida's load.

After removing the horse's tack, Yuna led Kyrida to the pool to take a well-deserved drink. She knelt next to the animal and did the same, scooping handfuls of water to her parched lips with abandon.

"Yuna, jump in! The water feels great," Rikku invited, splashing a few drops towards her cousin.

"I can see the sand in your hair all the way from over here," Lulu added by way of motivation.

Yuna cast an uncertain glance towards Auron and Tidus. Auron was setting up a fire and Tidus was rooting through one of the many haversacks to look for food. The idea of bathing in front of them made her nervous, although Tidus had seen her nude before on two very intimate occasions. But what about Auron? He had been her father's best friend, and had looked after her as an infant. He was a sensible man who clearly held a great deal of respect for the human body, and he seemed to be enough of a gentleman not to stare at his own lover while she swam in front of him. He had not even glanced at Rikku while she undressed before all of them. Perhaps it really wouldn't be a big deal after all, and besides, the water did look awfully tempting.

In spite of her conclusion, Yuna moved to stand on Kyrida's other side so that she would be at least partially blocked from view. She tentatively peeled off her clothes (a white desert travelling robe and soft brown leather boots) and then tiptoed her way into the pool, darting cautious glances towards the two men still on solid ground. Auron, true to her first guess, didn't send a single glance in her direction. But she was fairly certain she had seen Tidus sneak a swift look at her before turning his head away, a slightly distracted look on his face.

Languorously swimming towards the other two women, Yuna reflected that they were indeed correct. The water was blissfully cool, and it was a relief to be able to wash the grit out of her hair and off her skin. Thanks to some Al Bhed concoction Rikku gave them to rub on their flesh, the sun did not appear to have left any burns on their bodies.

"So, Rikku," she said, pausing to float on her back. "Tell me. How exactly did I manage to not find out I am related to you?"

Rikku titled her head back to let her golden hair spill into the water. "Oh, right. Well, it turns out that my Pop and your mom were separated as kids, after the Yevonites attacked their village one day. Cid ran off with a bunch of Al Bhed families that managed to escape and lived with them until he was old enough to go out on his own. But your mom was captured by some of the soldiers, and they were going to make her a . . . well, uh . . ."

"A chamber slave?" Yuna supplied in a low voice, knowing that many Al Bhed girls that were taken as slaves were often used in that way. Rikku nodded sympathetically.

"Right," she said quietly, "at least that's what they planned to do with a bunch of the girls they caught. Luckily, though, she found a way to free herself and took off into the desert. She was trying to make her way to another Al Bhed camp, I guess. But then she collapsed after two days with no food and water, alone in the middle of the Rammvena. Not long after, a group of priests passing through the desert found her body and took her back to their temple on Besaid. They raised her as a Yevonite so that she could live with them peacefully."

"That's when my father must have met her," Yuna voiced, allowing the story to sink itself into memory. "But how does Cid know all this? He was never reunited with her, was he? How did he know she lived long enough to meet Lord Braska and have a child?"

"Ah," Rikku beamed, winking at her. "You see, that's the story your mom told Braska, who told Sir Auron, who later told Pop, who later told me." Seeing Yuna's surprised expression, she quickly added. "Don't get mad at Auron for not telling you, Yunie! I'm sure he has his reasons."

"It's true," Lulu spoke finally, reaching her arm up to scrub sand off her elbow. "Auron told me earlier that he wanted you to find out from Cid himself. He said that he knew sooner or later you'd run into the Al Bhed after your first meeting with him, and when that happened, he was going to be sure Cid would be able to tell you the story."

"Oh, I'm not mad," Yuna managed to say after a moment of consideration. "Just surprised, really. It didn't occur to me to ask Auron myself if he knew whether or not I had any relatives on my mother's side."

The women were interrupted then by a loud commotion nearby, sounding like several branches and twigs snapping at once. They all whirled around in the water while Auron and Tidus quickly pulled out their weapons. Yuna felt her heart leap into her throat as a single figure crashed its way into the clearing, garbed in a world-famous crimson jacket. The man was a giant, with strikingly familiar orange hair that she could distantly remember seeing somewhere. He collapsed to his knees next to the water, wheezing and sweating profusely.

Somehow, in the face of his obvious exhaustion, the Yevonite Warrior managed to lift his head long enough to catch sight of Tidus, standing there wide-eyed with his azure blade drawn out.

"T-Tidus," the young man gasped, beginning to cough hoarsely. "They . . . they . . . Bevelle . . ."

A name suddenly came to Yuna's mind, but Tidus beat her to it.

"Wakka!"


	24. There Is Always a Way

Wakka collapsed almost the second Tidus called out his name.

Hours later, he awoke groggily on his back next to a small campfire. He frowned slightly and found himself backed by a thick green bush that formed a lopsided semicircle around him and the fire. The stars were luminous above, and for a moment he simply lay still, admiring the constellations as his awareness slowly came back to him. His head was pounding and his limbs felt weak and rubbery. There was a strange bitter taste in his mouth and he felt slightly disoriented, even while lying still. It was as if he could sense the world spinning around uncontrollably beneath him.

"How do you feel?" a soft voice asked next to him. Startled, Wakka glanced to his right and saw a young woman kneeling close by. Her blonde hair was tied back in a messy horsetail with a few stray tresses escaping to frame her heart-shaped face. She smiled at the stunned look on Wakka's face, her multifaceted green eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Uh, fine, I guess," he muttered, blinking slowly up at her. Good Yevon, she was pretty. Half of her face was lit up from the fire's glow, and the other half was swathed in shadow. "Just a bit queasy, ya?"

"You had a pretty bad case of heatstroke," the girl told him with a quick nod. She held out a small tin cup towards him. "Drink this. It'll keep the nausea away and bring back some of your strength."

"Thanks," he mumbled, trying to sit up. He was mildly surprised to feel her arm around his shoulders, helping him upright. She handed him the cup and watched patiently as he drank it in great gulps. It was cool and oddly sweet, but he couldn't place the taste. When he finished, the girl took the cup away and placed it in a small sack hanging at her hip.

"Um, my name's Wakka," he told her, after a brief second of silence. "Are you a . . . a medicine witch, or something?"

She let out a small, bubbly laugh that made him want to smile in return. "Well, I'm no witch, but I am definitely a healer. The name's Rikku. I took care of you after you passed out."

"After I . . . oh, Yevon! Where's Tidus? I gotta tell him something, it's real important-"

"Hang on, big guy! It's all right, Tidus is here too. I'll go get him for you, okay? Just try not to get too worked up; you have to let that potion take effect first," Rikku said soothingly, gently forcing him to lie back down. She stood up and left the small clearing, disappearing in the darkness outside.

Moments later she returned with Tidus, Sir Auron, Lulu, and Yuna in tow. Tidus moved into the clearing first, crouching next to Wakka with a relieved look on his face.

"Thank the aeons you're all right," Tidus exhaled, gripping his friend's shoulder. "You gave us a scare, you know. What the hell were you doing, dashing off into the desert alone like that?"

"Listen, brudda, I gotta tell you something important. So shut your mouth and let me explain, ya?"

Tidus promptly did as he was told and settled next to the makeshift bed with a curious frown. The others seated themselves comfortably nearby to listen as well.

"Maester Seymour is sending the entire army to Bevelle at a double pace, hoping to get there before you guys," he began, gazing solemnly at each person in turn. The Order has been telling us that we're preparing for some kind of holy intervention, but they didn't really explained to us what it was all about.

"And then last night I overheard two priests talking about you, Lady Yuna," Wakka continued, nodding his head at Yuna, who paled slightly. "They mentioned something about you being with the Al Bhed, and then they started talking about Sin and sacrifices and assassins. It was kinda hard to piece it all together, 'cause it feels like there's a buncha stuff I don't know, ya?

There was a long uncomfortable silence as everyone took in the information. Wakka felt beads of nervous sweat forming on his forehead at their reluctant expressions. Tidus suddenly reached forward and gripped his friend's knee.

"Look, Wakka," he said slowly, keeping his gaze down. "This isn't going to be easy for you to hear, so bear with me, okay? Just trust me when I say I'm telling you the truth."

00000000000000000

Tidus watched Yuna shiver as another breath of chilled air blew over them, keeping her mismatched eyes focused on the flickering campfire. Swiftly he removed his cloak and threw it around her shoulders, as his long-sleeved shirt was heavier and certainly much warmer than that threadbare shift she was wearing. Smiling gratefully at him, she pulled it around tightly and leaned against his side comfortably as he glanced up towards the stars. He noticed some time ago that the further he travelled, the more the constellations were starting to change. He could still see the familiar stars like Laizen's Bane (eight stars shaped like a dagger) and The Roana (a floral pattern constellation), but he could plainly see that their positions were shifting further along the sky, and he was starting to see unfamiliar assemblages. It was both interesting and heart wrenching at the same time, and the young man felt a pang of homesickness. His arm tightened around the girl next to him, and she turned her face into the side of his neck as if reading his thoughts.

Earlier that evening, they had stumbled across a small canyon-like trench in the ground at the foot of the Gagazet Mountain Range, and stopped to settle for the night. Although the atmosphere was peaceful and laid-back, Tidus was certain he would get no sleep. His dreams were becoming much more frequent, and though he could still only remember that last line spoken in his mother's voice, he awoke from each nightmare with a growing sense of urgency.

_Only love can defeat evil . . . _The message was obvious enough, but what on Spira did it have to do with him? Why was he dreaming about his mother's voice for the first time in six years? Could have something to do with the ceremony, or Sin?

Rikku was brushing Kyrida and humming to herself, while Wakka was sitting by himself on a rock some distance. No doubt he was still mulling over the shocking details of the conspiracy behind the Children of Light ceremony, and with reason. He was experiencing the same conflicting emotions and anxiety Tidus himself had gone through, and it would not be easy for Wakka to finally accept that his faith was based off a lie. Wakka was a fairly simple man when it came to the comforts in life. He drew a lot of strength from his devout religious beliefs, and to find out that all of it was false was perhaps the biggest metaphysical slap in the face the soft-hearted giant would ever experience. As a matter of fact, Tidus reflected, Wakka was handling this spiritual shake down remarkably well. He had even been strangely calm upon learning that Rikku was Al Bhed, although every now and then he would give her a few wary glances before muttering something under his breath and shaking his head.

Auron and Lulu were busy poring over a map that Rikku had brought along, trying to plot a swift and easy route through the Gagazet Mountains. The Range in question towered above the small encampment like a wall of imperial guards, its snow-capped peaks gleaming faintly in the starlight.

" . . . we don't come across any Ronso, we should be able to cross through the Gale Pass without much difficulty," Auron was saying quietly, his index finger following a line on the map.

Tidus, whose mind had been wandering back to the tropical shores of Besaid, snapped to attention. "Ronso? Did you just mention the Ronso, Auron?" He felt Yuna stiffen in his grasp as well.

"I thought they scattered ages ago," the young woman said, clearly puzzled. "Kimahri never spoke of any tribe left in the mountains. They're said to be solitary nomads now, aren't they?"

"Only according to the priests cowering in their temples, too frightened to do any real investigating. They made a big mistake ignoring the Ronso's pleas, so they had to make up a cover story by turning the clans into nothing more than vagrant gypsies," Lulu said darkly, her claret eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

"What are you talking about?" Tidus questioned, utterly confused. "Investigating what?"

"Ten years ago, Ronso children started to go missing," Rikku said, returning from grooming the horse. She sat down next to Lulu and helped herself to an apple. "Nobody had any idea if they were running away or being kidnapped. No bodies were ever found, no trails, no clues, nothing to go on. So one day the Ronso elders went to Bevelle to ask the Order of Yevon to help them search for the children. But the priests wouldn't help them, claiming that the Ronso affairs were no concern of Yevon's. Even after all the years of friendship with the clans, the priests turned their backs and refused to search for the little ones."

"Needless to say, the Ronso were not too pleased with the Yevonites," Auron interjected. "So they severed all trading ties to the temples, and most went into hiding to avoid any contact with the Yevonites. By this time, such an endeavour was quite difficult, as it was required for Ronso to be registered citizens in any community. It is believed that the largest clan still existing retreated to Gagazet once more, where they originally used to live hundreds of years ago, but nobody has ever managed to stumble across their village. At least, no one ever has and lived to tell about it."

"And we plan on marching straight through their territory?" Tidus questioned, his eyebrows raised incredulously. "Don't you think that seems a little dangerous?"

"Tidus, what exact part of this mission do you consider not dangerous?" Lulu queried with a half smile. "Besides, as long as we have Rikku with us, we have a chance at staying alive if we do indeed come across any of the clan."

"And why is that?" Yuna asked of her cousin, trying to hide her amusement at Tidus' pensive expression. Rikku beamed with no amount of modesty.

"Because we Al Bhed chose to help the Ronso and maintain the ties. We had nothing to do with those stubborn meanies!" the blonde replied cheekily. She ducked when Tidus swatted at her head, giggling at his mock offence. "Of course, we didn't manage to find the tribe children either, but they appreciated our help anyway."

"How come I didn't know about the missing Ronso kids? Or, for that matter, the fact that there used to be registered clan members everywhere?" Tidus asked, his playful mask replaced once more by a thoughtful frown.

"You were young during all the politics involved," Auron explained with a shrug. "It was a very hush-hush sort of thing that parents talked about when their children were asleep or out playing. The Ronso trade had provided a lot of steam for Spira's economy, but when they broke it off, the priests lied and said that they had cut them from the trade without any reason, creating a lot of tension between the clan and the people who depended on the system."

"Wait," Yuna said suddenly, sitting upright. "All this happened ten years ago exactly?"

The guardian nodded once in confirmation.

"Do you . . . do you think the Children of Light ceremony could have something to do with the young Ronso who disappeared? I mean, is it possible that the temples were really behind the whole thing for some purpose related to Sin?"

Yuna's words brought a moment of stunned contemplation. Auron scratched his jaw thoughtfully.

"I hadn't thought of that," he admitted slowly. "I suppose it could be possible, if not just one big coincidence."

"But what would Seymour want with the Ronso's offspring?" Wakka asked in an uncharacteristically serious voice, returning to join the rest of them around the fire.

"It is difficult to say what motives that man has in mind," Lulu said with a hard edge to her voice. "We'll find out if we reach the Bevelle temple."

"You mean 'when' we reach the temple, right?" Rikku supplied in an obliviously chipper tone. The priestess fixed her with an unnerving stare.

"No, Rikku, I mean 'if'. I will not sugar coat the odds of us finishing this journey," she said sternly, instantly dampening the girl's optimism. "Only fools can hope to be so expectant under such circumstances."

"Lulu," Yuna gasped, shocked at the woman's coldness. "Don't say that! Hope is not a fool's dream at all."

"Yuna, it is ridiculous to assume victory without any doubt," the black mage said calmly.

"Hope does not mean one has no doubt," Yuna replied, clenching her fists. Tidus rested a warm hand on her arm and whispered for her to calm down, but she did not seem to notice him. "Hope means believing in yourself in the face of doubt and fear and darkness!"

"I refuse to lie through my teeth and say there is a way when I cannot see it with my own eyes-"

Yuna suddenly flew to her feet in a rage, her body quivering and her eyes blazing. "There _is_ a way!" she cried vehemently. "_There is always a way!_"

They stared up at her in awe, too surprised to say anything in return. Her angry words echoed around them in the small gorge, fading away slowly into the night and leaving a gaping uncomfortable silence in its wake.

Abruptly, Yuna whirled around and disappeared into the darkness of the canyon beyond the campfire. Tidus' throat tightened and he immediately rose to go after her.

He caught up with her after a brief chase through the maze-like stones. Her fast pace was surprisingly hard to match. Tidus had to jog to reach her.

"Yuna, stop," he said gently, catching her by the arm to halt her. She violently shook him off and kept moving, her back resolutely turned to him. "Yuna, please!"

He gripped her arm elbow again and forced her to whirl around. She struggled for a second to get out of his grasp, but he shook her once to still her. With only the moon overhead to light them, Tidus could still make out her features clearly. Her face was twisted with an emotion he could not fully describe, but it wounded him all the same.

"Let me go!" she demanded shrilly, trying vainly to wrench herself from him. He only tightened his hold, stubbornly refusing to do her bidding.

"Calm down," he ordered in a soft but commanding tone. "Yuna, you know Lulu didn't mean to offend you."

"I don't care! Get off me!"

"Not until you stop this."

"Just go away!"

Tidus had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from gawking at her in shock. She was showing an abnormal amount of passion and fury that he had never seen her display. At long last she gave up and went still in his arms. Her head sagged forward and she sighed unevenly. His grip relaxed, but he still did not let go. He was slightly wary of this sudden change in demeanour.

When she lifted her head again, Tidus was surprised to see tears pooling in her bicoloured eyes. They spilled over like tiny fountains, causing silver trails down her face. Her lower lip quivered and her whole posture seemed to shift in defeat.

"Oh, Tidus," she whimpered in a strangled voice, instantly breaking down the barriers of his heart. "I'm scared. I'm just so scared . . ."

Yuna barely had time to voice a small sob before his pulled her towards him in a roughly tender embrace, crushing her to his chest as if he could somehow squeeze the pain from her. She burrowed her face into the space between his neck and shoulder, her hands gripping the material of his shirt. One of his strong arms came up to circle around her shoulders, and the other firmly pinned her waist against him.

"I don't know what to do," she whispered shakily.

"Don't you dare give up on me now," he murmured, his words muffled in her hair. "You cannot start quitting, Yuna."

"So afraid. . . ."

"I know," he breathed, tightening his hold on her. "I am too. We all are."


	25. Blue Fur?

For the first time in his infamous career, Tremath was at a loss of what to do.

It had been difficult enough to kill Lady Yuna when that Tidus boy had been trailing around behind her. Unreasonably difficult. Now he had to contend with the legendary Sir Auron, an advanced dark magic priestess, an Al Bhed fighter, _and_ another Yevonite Warrior? There was no assassin on the face of the planet that could single-handedly battle such people, no matter how stealthy and experienced he was. And they were heading into the Gagazet Mountain Range, a territory so swathed in mystery and danger that not even the bravest of men dared to venture close.

The entire mission was not only senseless and impossible, but also _suicidal_.

Tremath glared silently into the desert, perched on a vigilant rock under the moonlight. His cloak concealed every part of his body, and only his pale eyes remained visible, gleaming from the depths of his hood. Earlier that evening, while the party was setting up camp, he had watched closely from a hiding spot behind a cluster of scattered bushes and trembled with outrage. His misfortunes had increased dramatically.

He had known Yuna was traveling with four more companions, as he had calculated from the tracks they left in the sand, but he had not assumed for a second that they would turn out to be such worthy adversaries. He had believed that he could slit their throats in the dark with ease and Braska's daughter would be left all alone for him to do away with. But he knew all too well how mistaken he was when he caught sight of Sir Auron, the world-renowned guardian that was rumoured to be unconquerable.

The black mage looked powerfully intimidating even while she slept peacefully, and even the most mundane of minds could sense a great aura surrounding her.

The redheaded Yevonite was a giant of a man, and his training in the army made him an extremely formidable opponent; he would not be easy to sneak up on and even less easy to defeat.

The Al Bhed girl, although small in stature and seemingly clueless, was no less deadly. The long curved daggers at her sides looked exceptionally lethal. And even though she looked quite young, perhaps even younger than Yuna, the blonde girl seemed to possess honed senses. While he had been spying on them, he was certain he had frequently caught her glancing in his direction, a slightly suspicious look on her face. It was as if she knew something was out of place but couldn't quite bring herself to bother with it. Luckily for him, she seemed to have decided to push her fears out of mind and chose not to investigate his hiding place.

It contradicted Tremath's very nature to go back and admit to Seymour that he was walking away from the mission, but he was just as reluctant to continue pursuing Lady Yuna and her guardians.

The assassin closed his eyes in thought. He risked being flayed within an inch of his life should he decide to test the limits of Seymour's wrath, perhaps even murdered out of rage. On the other hand, facing a group of fearsome guardians was just as daunting.

He sighed inaudibly through his nostrils and decided then and there to continue doing what he did best. Remain undetected, and follow at a safe but watchful distance. Wait for the right moment. Let Lady Yuna to stray too far from the protective group's reach. Strike her down, and disappear. Collect ridiculous sum of money in return.

A true hitman never backs out of a deal before the job is done.

The black and silver-maned horse stamped her hoof nervously, tethered closely to a hefty rock. She had 'wandered' into his clutches not too long ago, and, having recognized her lofty appearance, Tremath wisely decided to keep her close at hand. It was much more enjoyable to ride than to walk, after all.

His mood had just improved significantly, and he went to sleep with a grim anticipating smile on his face. The mare nickered softly into the night.

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Yuna did not sleep very well that night. She tossed and turned next to Tidus, troubled by visions of Sin rising up from a gaping chasm to wrap its dark ethereal tentacles around her, pulling her into the black void. She dreamed of her father lying on the sacrificial table, struggling against the demon monster's advance. Did he scream? Did he feel pain? Did he face his death bravely? Did he die cursing Seymour's name?

The closer the party came to reaching their destination, the more fitful her rest became each evening, and it was starting to weigh down on her. Not only that, but she could feel her magical energy growing stronger, more restless inside. It pulsated inside her core with a gradually intensifying force that she had never felt before. It seemed like the farther away she was from the temple, the more her powers were growing. Perhaps the mounting tension on her heart was partly responsible for snapping at Lulu by the campfire earlier. It made her insides squirm with guilt at the memory of raising her voice to the older woman, even though she had apologized solemnly for her outburst. But she could not help but feel a wave of despair at Lulu's words. Yuna couldn't help but consider them in her mind over and over again. Was it true? Was there really no hope for them in succeeding? If they were to fail . . . no, if _she_ were to fail . . . so much could be lost. They would all be killed and have their names erased from Spira's memory, their efforts completely in vain. The conspiracy would carry on in secret until Lord Seymour had enough power to wrap an iron fist around the world and unleash Sin among many nameless evils for the sake of his insatiable lust for supremacy.

A world lost to darkness, hovering between complete destruction and a future of uncertainty. It made her skin cold simply imagining it.

"You're shifting around a lot," a sleepy voice murmured. Yuna froze for a moment before glancing towards Tidus' face. One eye was open, peering drowsily down at her; the other remained stubbornly closed. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she whispered back, offering him a sheepish smile. "Sorry to wake you. I'll lie still from now on."

He wrapped one strong arm around her waist and pulled her against him, positioning his chin above her so that her forehead leaned against his neck. She sighed and closed her eyes, feeling instant solace in the warm security of his embrace. Across the dying fire, Wakka had fallen asleep at his post, and not too far away, Auron and Lulu were asleep next to each other. Rikku was curled up on her side, snoring quietly with her head leaning on her elbow. Kyrida had gone missing earlier that evening, shortly after they had set up camp, and had not yet returned. Fortunately, they had removed all the saddlebags and haversacks from her before she disappeared, so none of their supplies went missing. Still, Yuna could not help but wonder where the normally faithful animal had gone off to. Normally the horse never left their sight if she could help it.

"Yuna," Tidus said softly, his words resonating in his throat and chest, "I promise I will get us through this. You were right. There is always a way, and I'll do everything in my power to find it. I won't let anything happen to you."

Biting her lip, Yuna pressed herself to him even closer and looped her arms around his body in a silent token of understanding. She did not trust her voice to keep from quavering.

For a long time they simply lay quietly together, each staring off into empty spaces of thought, drawing some measure of comfort from one another. Soon, however, Yuna became aware of Tidus' breath easing in and out rhythmically, and his grip slackened somewhat as sleep came over him.

She did not join him until the silver light of dawn began to appear on the horizon a few hours later.

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In the late afternoon, Yuna discovered that she was the last one awake. The rest of the party had been moving silently around her to allow her more time to sleep, quietly disassembling the camp. Sitting up on her sleeping furs, Yuna frowned thoughtfully. She found that she could not remember when she had fallen asleep, only that it had been sometime around daybreak. She was still exhausted; dark purple shadows haunted the flesh beneath her eyes, and she blinked at the world around her slowly as if in a perpetual daze.

After eating a rushed breakfast of bread and cheese with a few sips of wine, Yuna hurried off to bathe at a spring that Wakka had found the night before. It was located beyond the far bend away from the campsite, a brittle hedge of desert sage partially screening it from sight. The water formed a hole in the sandy terrain, just large enough for a few people to sit in a tight circle, but fortunately Yuna was alone.

She slipped out of her clothes, grateful to feel the hot sunlight on her back. It would not be easy to reclaim such warmth when they reached the Gagazet Mountains, so Yuna wisely savoured it.

After emerging freshly scrubbed and cleansed, she was tying her bodice strings when a pair of familiar arms circled around her waist and a warm breath tickled her ear.

"Not so fast, Lady Yuna."

She smiled and let her head fall back against his shoulder, her fatigue starting to abate a little. Tidus began planting small, butterfly-soft kisses on her neck, and very quickly found a way to get Yuna's gown off once more.

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A nervous quiet seemed to hover over the group as they made their way up into the Range. The air was tense, charged with an uneasiness that no one was quick to address. The path that took them from the desert floor up a sharply inclined pass had been a very difficult trek, as everyone had to be weighed down the party's supplies. Kyrida was still nowhere to be seen, and Auron had not wanted to waste time looking for her. He reasoned that she had probably gone back to the Al Bhed encampment of her own will. Rikku especially seemed to miss the creature's company, while Wakka only grumbled about having to carry bags through the mountains.

The path was wide enough only to allow a single-file procession. Auron walked in front, with Lulu and Wakka following close behind. The older guardian seemed oblivious to the demanding vertical march, but his remaining eye darted to and fro, ever alert to any sign of danger. Lulu, lifting her skirt up in both hands, kept her eyes fixed on Auron's broad back as if willing herself to empty her mind of any complaints. Wakka, like Auron, was keeping a close eye on their surroundings, and his hand remained on the hilt of his sword in preparation. Tidus followed close behind his friend, but his mind seemed to be wandering. He was staring ahead blankly, occasionally frowning as if something puzzling entered his thoughts. Rikku was in the rear, unusually subdued and in awe of the looming Gagazet Mountains.

Yuna pulled her fur-lined cloak tightly around her shoulders, blinking drowsily at the back of Tidus' calves, which were right in her line of vision. After her little liaison with him, her weariness had returned with full-force and she walked with slow, wobbling steps. Her eyelids drooped continuously, and it proved to be a difficult battle keeping them open. Her already tired body was protesting at the uphill march, dimly wondering what had happened to the nice, relatively flat desert they left behind.

"This place is full of evil, ya?" Wakka murmured suddenly, breaking the silence. His voice echoed in a faint hiss around them, bouncing off the stone pass. Lulu shook her head at his observation.

"No, not evil. A warning, yes, and a darkness that I cannot name, but . . . it is not malevolence we are sensing," she replied enigmatically, letting her claret eyes roam the massive rock walls.

Rikku shivered at these words and moved closer to Yuna.

"Keep moving," Auron commanded, "and try not to speak unless you absolutely must. Our voices will carry."

"Yuna," Rikku whispered suddenly, touching her cousin's shoulder. "Yuna, I think we're being followed."

"What makes you say that?" Yuna replied, frowning as she kept her gaze ahead.

"I'm not sure," the blonde girl replied with a small sigh. "But . . . it feels like there's something hounding us, you know? It's been bothering me since last night, but I thought I was just imagining things."

Yuna felt a tremor of foreboding run through her. She had almost forgotten about the assassin that had been pursuing her and Tidus. Could he still be after them? Had he not given up on them after the incident at the river?

Swallowing, Yuna leaned forward and repeated Rikku's hushed message to Tidus. He tensed at her words before giving her a quick knowing look over his shoulder. She gazed back earnestly, and he turned his attention back to the front. Without fully realizing how, Yuna knew that he planned on discussing the matter with Auron and Lulu later on.

Auron came to a halt at the front of the line as the group crested the hill, but Yuna was unaware of it, as her focus had been elsewhere. She walked right into his backpack and grunted with surprise.

"You awake back there?" Tidus asked her with a slightly teasing smile. Then he stopped when he took in her worn out appearance. "Did you get any sleep at all last night?"

Instead of replying, Yuna's eyes drifted upward to see what had caused the line to stop, and abruptly widened.

A towering cliff face stood before them, reaching so far up that Yuna had to crane her neck to see the top, where it seemed to slope back down on the other side. The path had widened into a broad flat shelf of earth, angling up towards the sheer barrier of rock. The stone was lined with cracks and fissures, forming an incalculable web of patterns all along the cliff face. It looked completely vertical. On either side, a thick line of vegetation formed a bushy frame, concealing the other mountainsides from view.

"Are you sure we went through the Gale Pass?" Lulu questioned Auron sharply. "I don't believe a massive rock wall in the middle of the path qualifies as a 'pass'."

"This cliff was not marked on the map," Auron replied, pulling the parchment out to offer the woman proof. "There is no question that we walked on the right trail." She snatched it away and her eyes roamed the map hastily before narrowing into scarlet slits.

"Ridiculous," she snapped, her fingers tightening around the paper dangerously. "Why would such an obstacle not be noted on the map clearly?"

"Oh no."

All eyes turned to land on Rikku, who had fallen somewhat behind. She stood stiffly at the mouth of the path, gripping the dagger at her hip so that her knuckles went white.

"This can't be the place . . ." the Al Bhed teenager whispered fearfully, her complexion remarkably paler than usual. "Oh, this _can't_ be the place!"

"Speak, girl!" Auron ordered snappishly, taking a few commanding steps towards her.

"I-I think I know what this is," she began shakily, staring at the guardian through wide eyes. "My father told me about certain paths that lead to no where in the mountains . . . travelers wind up completely lost, sometimes even t-trapped. The maps around here don't mark these areas because they're hidden, or tampered with, and . . . and . . ."

"Don't tell me the Ronso are involved in this," Tidus broke in, a sick look passing over his face. "Rikku, please don't say it."

"N-nobody ever escapes from these places," she replied in a quavering voice. "Once, some of our foragers wandered too far into the cliffs and . . . we didn't find them until a few months later. Or . . . at least, what was left of them."

"Why would the Ronso do this?" Lulu demanded, her face a mask of pure anger. "Why would they lure travelers into their midst?"

"We don't know it was the Ronso!" Yuna cut in, slightly indignant at everybody's accusations. She briefly envisioned her old caretaker Kimahri, and remembered how patient and gentle he had been, how kind and wise he was. How could such an advanced race be so bloodthirsty and cold? She could not believe it of them.

"There are plenty of wild creatures living here, it is entirely likely that-"

"What wild creatures know to make deceitful maps?" Wakka demanded almost shrilly, glancing around anxiously.

"They are not 'wild creatures', and for all we know it could be a mistake," Yuna said defensively. "Maybe the mapmakers simply overlooked it. You said it yourself, Sir Auron, that not many people venture too far into the Range. It would be easy to make such an error."

Her words brought a swift calm over the party, although their expressions were still cautious.

"It doesn't matter," Auron said gruffly. "Let's just find a way out of here."

"We don't have time," Rikku said sadly, looking up to the sky. "It will be dark soon. Every night the Ronso send scouts throughout the Range to look for intruders. We need to find cover before they find us wandering around."

"Well, we can't stay here, ya?" Wakka pointed out.

"Check the map," Tidus suggested, a thought coming to him. "Does it say what lies behind the cliff face?"

"What are you implying?" Lulu asked, raising an eyebrow at him. She looked anyway, however, and her face drew into a look of surprise. "The trail seems to continue as if undisturbed, and there is a cluster of caves not far up ahead."

"I say we climb over," Tidus said with such an air of confidence that it nearly made Yuna smack her head in disbelief. "It will take much less time if we move without stopping, and I for one would like to get out of this place before nightfall."

"Yeah, I think we can do this," Wakka supplied, stroking his chin thoughtfully as a light of hope began to stir in his eyes. "We can help each other along the way too, right?"

"We have rope," Rikku added, reaching into one of the bags and pulling out a long thick coil. "And there's more where that came from!"

Lulu exchanged an uncertain look with Auron before turning to include Yuna. Hesitating, Yuna glanced at Tidus, Rikku, and Wakka in turn before slowly bringing her gaze back to the guardian black mage.

"Let's do it," she said firmly, lifting her chin up determinedly.

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Not long after her bold decision, Yuna found herself sorely regretting it. Numerous times she found herself losing her grip on the rope and rock face as the group slowly made their way up the rock face. She was growing ever conscious of her mounting exhaustion, and her strength seemed to be draining slowly from her limbs against her will. Often she had to rely on Auron's strength above her to guide her along, and the fact that she was weighed down with two large travel bags did not make the situation much easier.

The party was connected by a long rope, tied around everybody's waist to keep them lashed together for safety. Rikku scrambled up the cliff face with relative ease, as her lithe build made climbing a rather simple task. She was particularly good at finding easy foot and handholds in the otherwise unforgiving smooth surface. Tidus came in second. Lulu was behind him, her cumbersome skirt hitched up at her knees to make the ascent easier. She was silent and moved stoically onward in front of Wakka, who appeared to even be enjoying himself. Auron climbed in front of Yuna, who had been content to take the rear.

Clinging precariously to her current hold, she let her eyes move up the line to catch sight of Tidus, wanting to feel the familiar rush of warmth he created in her. She knew he was afraid of heights, at least more so than she was, but he had not said a word of complaint and seemed to be doing fine. Though he was the one who had suggested making the climb, he did not appear to be in any sort of discomfort, as long as he kept his eyes from straying downwards.

They were making good progress, too. At halfway up the rock face, the summit did not seem so strikingly far from reach. Still, flat ground was a _long_ way down. Should anyone fall, it would surely mean instant death.

Gritting her teeth, Yuna forced herself to get a grip and keep moving. She began to pull her body up when she heard Auron hiss, "Look out!"

Instinctively she ducked her head and felt an unseen force of wind ruffle her hair.

Yuna's startled gaze shot back up and saw just how close Sir Auron's katana had come to swinging across her head. The older man gave her an uncharacteristically abashed look over his shoulder.

"My apologies," he said. "The sword strap was a little loose. I didn't hit you, did I?"

"No, I'm all right," she replied, slightly shaken as she eyed the impressive sword. Auron reached an arm back to readjust the strap that held it against his back and kept moving. Taking a deep breath to calm down, Yuna reached up once more to haul herself upright.

Her palm came into contact with something strangely unfamiliar. Frowning at yet another delay, Yuna pulled her hand back to examine the rope, where a fresh and unfamiliar sight greeted her. It appeared that the rope fibres had somehow developed a split.

She felt her heart leap into her throat.

Sir Auron's katana must have hit the rope material when it missed her head.

Frozen with horror, Yuna watched as the last few threads came undone. Before she knew what was happening, she found herself falling as the rope gave away. Dimly she saw Auron's head whip around to see her drop from the line, growing smaller by each passing second, and he gave a loud alarmed shout that echoed painfully all around.

The cold wind battered her as she plummeted downwards, her companions rapidly shrinking from sight.

She heard Tidus shout her name, and she closed her eyes. The world was disappearing all around her. Time was slowing down, yet rushed by too quickly. There was no reason to fear or think or cry out, because any second now she would hit the ground and there would only be silence and oblivion.

Something warm and strong lashed out of nowhere and wrapped itself around her ankle, halting the fall. Yuna sucked in a breath everything came to a crashing stop, her insides writhing at the sudden reverse. Blindly her eyes searched the impending darkness around her as she swung from side to side, dangling wrong way up from whatever it was that had caught her.

She was wrenched off to the side so violently that she nearly vomited at the harsh motion. Leaves, twigs, and thorns scratched her face and body as she entered the brambly hedges that lined the cliff face. She could still hear everyone shouting her name from high above, but they were completely out of sight.

The vice-liked grip around her ankle tightened and Yuna felt herself be jerked up higher, so that her upside down face came only inches away from another. Her head was swimming.

Blue fur?


	26. Mind Games

"Tidus, stop!" Wakka bellowed, his alarmed voice echoing painfully in the canyon. Tidus barely heard him over the sound of the blood rushing in his ears. He was trying vainly to tear away the rope fastened around his waist. All he could see in his mind's eye was Yuna's face as she plummeted down the cliff face. He could not locate where she landed. It was as if she had disappeared. Where was she? Could she have somehow managed to roll into the bushes at the side of the cliff in time to grab a handhold? Maybe her cloak got snagged on a sharp rock, or a twig, or-

He had to get this _damn rope off!_

"Tidus, calm yourself!" Lulu snapped, a hint of panic tingeing her normally stoic voice. She reached up to grab his wrist, trying to halt his desperate attempts to cut himself loose. "Do you want to get us all killed?"

Rikku had already wiggled out of her rope harness and was scrambling dexterously down the rock face, blind to the danger of falling. Her youthful face was grim and determined.

Auron joined her, having swiftly sliced through his own rope hold. He too began crawling with surprising agility across the cliff, nearly matching the young Al Bhed girl's pace.

Tidus froze as the two of them disappeared into the bushes, fighting back a wave of nauseated horror. What if they were too late? Oh aeons, what if Yuna had truly fallen to her death? Wakka was heatedly praying under his breath, his russet eyes fixed on the shrubs. Lulu was immobile, closely resembling a marble statue. The wind pushed her regal black hair around her face gently.

Suddenly Rikku screamed and Tidus distinctly heard Auron's katana being rapidly unsheathed. A hoarse, guttural cry rose up in chorus with another voice that Tidus keenly recognized, a voice begging for Auron and Rikku to be still.

It was Yuna. She was alive.

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A few weeks ago, had someone told Tidus that he would be standing face to face with the last Ronso tribe of the Gagazet Mountain Range, he would have laughed and shaken his head in disbelief.

But now he found himself staring open-mouthed and wide-eyed at the impressive warriors striding towards him, primitive but efficient weapons held out at the ready. For a moment he was awestruck at the sight of them. They had intense gold and amber eyes, strikingly catlike facial features, and the tallest of them stood at an impressive eight feet in height. Their fur colours ranged from vibrant indigo to dull grey, and they all had long manes arranged in braids and plaits. Their clothes were rugged mountain garb, made from leather hide and animal fur. The size of their feline claws and teeth alone made their weapons look unnecessary.

It was only when he saw Yuna, Auron, and Rikku walking in their company that he could force himself to move. Taking note of the fact that the three of them appeared to be unharmed and in no state of alarm (although Auron and Rikku looked a bit on edge), he only let his hand linger on the hilt of his sword rather than pull it out. His nerves were still taut. Yuna hurried towards him and threw her arms around him.

"It's all right," she whispered in his ear, nearly gasping as he returned the embrace with all his might. He shivered against her and she kissed him softly.

He sighed shakily and allowed her to pull back, but he kept one arm around her waist protectively. His eyes fell once more to the cluster of Ronso before him, of which there were only seven, he came to realize. It looked as if there were three females and four males. One of the males stepped forward, and instinctively he knew that this one was the chief. He was not exactly the tallest or the most powerfully built, but everything about his presence spoke of a true leader.

"This is Kimahri, my old caretaker. After he left Besaid, he came here to gather his kin and form a tribe again. He saved me from the fall," Yuna explained quickly, smiling fondly up at the Ronso as he approached them.

"Friends of Yuna," Kimahri said suddenly, and Tidus recognized the deep guttural voice he had heard earlier. "Welcome. You stay with Ronso tonight." His voice, though throaty and hesitant when speaking in the foreign tongue, was pleasantly soft somehow.

"We would be honoured to," Lulu said smoothly, stepping forward. "The privilege alone would be worth this entire journey."

Tidus wanted to raise his eyebrows quizzically at her comment, but then he suddenly realized that he was the only one standing upright. Auron, Rikku, Lulu, and even Wakka were all kneeling to the ground.

"The Ronso are extremely formal," Yuna explained in a hushed whisper, speaking close to his ear. "Courtesy and manners are very important for first impressions."

Taking the hint, Tidus quickly dropped to one knee and bowed ceremoniously, feeling Kimahri's gaze on him in particular and trying not to let the heat rise to his face from embarrassment.

When they rose to their feet, Kimahri and the other Ronso all politely nodded back in acknowledgment. Kimahri cleared his throat and flicked his ears in what looked like a contrite gesture.

"Ronso apologize for setting trap. We not know Yuna and friends travel through Gagazet."

Tidus opened his mouth to ask why the Ronso were setting traps in the first place, but Rikku cut him off with impeccable timing.

"That's okay!" she said brightly, moving forward to greet the other Ronso warriors. "Mistakes happen, right gang?"

"Uh, right," Wakka agreed, inching forward nervously as Rikku dragged him behind her. "Mistakes are . . . mistakes can be forgiven, ya?"

Gradually the rest of the Ronso party moved to introduce themselves to the travelers, most of them only able to say their names in the common tongue.

"Biran," one of them rumbled, thumping his chest emphatically. He then pawed at the burly male next to him and added, "Yenke. Brothers of Kimahri." Tidus nodded understandingly.

"Tidus," he replied, pointing to himself.

"Tsuva," a female growled, crossing her arms and nodding curtly at him.

"Gengi," a second female announced, tapping the butt of her javelin against the ground in a Ronso gesture of respect.

"Shadov!" a third and very bright blue male declared, grinning cheerfully at him. He looked much younger than the others and was smaller in size. He held out a paw in a curiously human greeting, but just as Tidus was about to accept, the last female cuffed Shadov upside the head. She hissed something to him as the fur around her neck bristled, narrowing her yellow eyes in obvious annoyance. Flattening his ears shamefully, Shadov withdrew his paw and backed away. The angry female turned to Tidus and he smiled uncertainly.

"Tidus," he stated, tapping his chest. "What's your name?"

"Anka," she replied simply. "Shadov mother. Shadov young, foolish, no manners. Forgive him?"

"Uh, of course," Tidus said, trying to sound as considerate as possible. Clearly he had witnessed some kind of lapse in Ronso civility and hadn't realized it. He could have sworn he heard Yuna giggle behind him. When he turned around to peer suspiciously at her, she quickly coughed and looked away, busying herself by talking with Kimahri.

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Seymour tapped his long groomed nails against the table's surface impatiently. On top of having to spend the entire day struggling through a dismally hot desert riddled with Al Bhed filth, he could not even rely on his own officers to arrive when he specifically said when to meet him. He was tired. He reeked of dust and sweat. His personal hunters and trappers failed to bring anything appetizing to the dinner table, and now he had to worry about soldiers getting heat stroke. The Gagazet Mountain Range was getting closer, and Seymour still could not get the men to move quick enough. At the pace they were moving, the chances of reaching Bevelle before Tidus and Yuna were slim to none. Something had to be done, and fast.

When the stammering lieutenant burst into the tent, nearly getting entangled in the entrance flap, the Maester flew to his feet with surprising alacrity.

"Where have you been?" he snarled, the blue veins around his eyes bulging. "I sent for you fifteen minutes ago."

"M-my ap-p-pologies, Lord. I was m-momentarily det-t-tained at th-the-"

"The what?" Seymour interrupted maliciously, curling his lip with disgust. "The whorehouse? Well then forgive me, lieutenant, I hadn't realized your wife was working tonight."

The young man flinched at the barbed remark, and averted his gaze.

"No, sir," he replied, his voice calmer with suppressed anger. "I was n-needed at the roster's tent. It appears th-that one of our soldiers is m-missing."

"And _that_ is what kept me waiting for your useless presence?"

"The s-soldier's name is Wakka Fabaddon, m-my lord. He was c-close with that heretic T-Tidus."

Seymour paused in mid pace and turned to fix the lieutenant with a suddenly very guarded look. "Indeed? And when did he go missing?"

"W-we estimate that he l-left-"

"Left? You mean to say he is gone of his own free will?"

"Again, my lord, o-only speculations so f-far. His c-comrades say that he l-left about two days ago."

The Guado sucked on his teeth thoughtfully for a moment, digesting this bit of news. So, Tidus may have acquired a new ally in his flight with Yuna. Very well. One less idiot the world will soon have to forget.

"You w-wanted to speak with me, Lord?" the lieutenant ventured, after a period of silence passed by.

"Yes. I want you to send for an airship to take me straight to Bevelle from here."

The lieutenant, who had been staring down at the floor out of respect, snapped his head up to stare at the Maester in unabashed shock.

"A m-machina airship, my lord?"

"You heard me, you dolt. Stop gawking and make it happen."

"B-but . . . may I ask wh-"

"Do _not_ question my orders!" Seymour growled, hurling a wine goblet at the unsuspecting man. The officer stiffened as the red liquor drenched his face and neck, dripping down his chest and staining his uniform. "Just do as I say. Great Yevon, man! How on this earth did you manage to become a lieutenant with a brain as small as yours?"

The stuttering officer bowed and then hastily darted outside to carry out his orders, trying valiantly not to wipe at his eyes where the alcohol stung.

Rubbing at his temples, Seymour sat down at the table and listened to the desert wind howling outside the canvas of his tent.

If the army could not get to Bevelle fast enough, than he would simply have to go and meet the little party himself.

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Tidus found Yuna leaning over a hollowed out gourd behind one of the Ronso huts, retching violently. He had noticed that she disappeared quickly after dinner, and Rikku told him that she had seen Yuna hurry outside towards another hut.

After a split second of hesitation, Tidus rushed towards her and pulled her hair back out of her face. Startled, she glanced up at him and opened her mouth to speak, but she did not have a chance to say anything before she shuddered and vomited once again.

When it appeared that she was finished, Tidus politely looked away as she emptied the gourd off to the side into some shrubs. She walked back towards him, looking pale and disoriented. He could see quite clearly that her hands were shaking, but otherwise she looked stable.

"Are you all right?" he asked, frowning with concern as she tried to straighten out her hair and clothes. She smiled thinly at him and nodded.

"Yes," she replied in a soft voice. "I suppose I just had a reaction to some of the Ronso cooking. I had forgotten that some of their food is a bit hard to get used to."

Tidus nodded, but an inner instinct nagged at him that her words were not entirely truthful.

"Well, lean on me until we get back to our cave. You look a little drained."

She gratefully accepted, taking a hold of his arm and leaning her head on his shoulder. "I'll be fine," she assured him as they began heading back to their sleeping cave. "It's getting better already."

When they reached the guest cave, Tidus dutifully guided Yuna onto her pile of sleeping furs and helped her settle in. The Ronso all lived in a series of caves throughout the mountain, most of them within walking distance of each other or connected underground by a multitude of tunnels. The guest cave was simply and modestly designed, but accommodative with rich animal fur mattresses and cloth curtains to separate different sleeping quarters. It was dark, but a campfire and a few torches and lanterns provided sufficient light.

After Yuna rinsed her mouth out with water and freshened her breath with a slab of hard peppermint (a treat found in Rikku's bag), she lay back down and smiled up at him.

"Thank you," she sighed, reaching up to run her fingers down the side of his face.

He kissed her palm and the two of them regarded each other in quiet mutual fondness. The firelight flickered in her hair and eyes, making her glow a pale gold. Tidus doubted he would ever get used to her beauty.

Would he even have a _chance_ to get used to it?

It was in that moment when a realization came to Tidus, a swift understanding that was so sudden and powerful that he gasped and jerked away from her.

_You have to leave her._

Tears stung his eyes, appearing so rapidly that he hadn't even noticed them until they spilled down his cheeks. "No . . ." he whispered, shaking his head slowly. "No."

_It will kill you to lose her. Leave now. You can save yourself from it all. _

"What is it? What's wrong?" Yuna gasped, scrambling out of her furs to reach him. "Tidus, are you ill?"

He sat numbly as she kneeled down next to him, her warm hands searching desperately to check his temperature.

_You won't be able to stand watching her die. You will go mad._

"I . . . I can't," he choked, blind to Yuna's frantic ministrations.

"Can't what?_ Can't what_?" she pleaded, pressing her forehead to his in a last distressed attempt to reach him. "Tidus, talk to me. Answer me! Can't _what_?"

'_I can't leave her.'_

_But you must. There is no other way. She does not need you, none of them do._

"What is going on in here?" Auron's sharp voice demanded from the cave's entrance.

"I don't know!" Yuna cried, turning to gaze up helplessly the older guardian. "Something's wrong, Tidus isn't responding to me!"

Auron crouched down in front of Tidus, who was staring blankly ahead as if through the rock wall of the cavern itself.

"Tidus, can you hear me?"

_You are useless to them. If you leave, you'll be doing everyone a favour._

'_I will not be a coward!'_

_You let your emotions get in the way. Your feelings for her have already compromised your judgment. You will fail her if you stay. _

"Tidus, say something."

_You got her this far. She will be fine with the others. _

"Tidus, please! Auron, what do we do?"

"Go get Lulu, Rikku, and a Ronso healer. He must be having some kind of fit."

_Your part is over. _

'_No . . . '_

Tidus was, in a sense, perfectly aware of what was going on around him. He could see Auron's face before him and feel the man's strong hands gripping his shoulders tightly. He could feel Auron shaking him. He could hear Yuna rushing out of the cave to obey Auron's orders. But none of it seemed to matter as he struggled to contain the grief inside of him.

He didn't want to leave, but he couldn't bear to stay.

What if his conscience was right? What if he really had done all he could do for Yuna? Would it not be better to save them both from the trauma of losing one another in the final confrontation? Why should he not cut off all contact now before sinking deeper into his rapidly growing love for her?

It felt so wrong and yet so right at the same time. He could not silence the voices encouraging him to leave, but did he really have the strength to just abandon Yuna and his friends?

He stared over Auron's shoulder into some kind of oblivion, the internal battle reaching a frenzied state. Go. Stay. Go. Stay. Go . . . stay . . .

_There is nothing left for you here. Just leave it all behind you. Everything will be fine._

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Tremath opened his eyes and inhaled sharply as his head cleared. He tore his gaze away from the fire and took a deep gulp of wine, banishing the lingering remnants of the mind spell. Before he could stop himself, a wickedly gleeful chuckle escaped his lips, and he turned to stare from beneath his cloak at the horse that had wandered into his possession not to long ago. She tossed her silver mane and stared back defiantly, nostrils flaring as if daring him to make some kind of remark.

"Well old girl," he said in a silky voice that made the mare's ears twitch. "It appears that my spell worked. I did not think it would be so simple to enter that boy's mind and toy with his thoughts. Perhaps he is weaker than I was lead to believe."

The animal nickered quietly and lowered her head to nibble discontentedly at the sparse grass growing at the base of the mountain. Thankfully, after accepting that the rope around her neck would not be released, the mare had resigned herself to following her new master around glumly.

At her response to his jibe, Tremath only laughed harder.

"It will only get easier for me," he continued with a satisfied sigh, glancing up to the stars overhead. "The boy is full of self doubt now. All I need to do is push him until he finally breaks and leaves his little friends behind. Amazing what a simple mind spell can do, isn't it?"


	27. The Omen

"Something troubles you," Auron said quietly, his lips close to her ear. The dining cave was packed with Ronso, but for such a large race of creatures, they ate with remarkable dignity and reserve. It was almost completely silent, as meal times were not for talking and visiting. They were times for reflection and peace.

Lulu nodded her head once, knowing it was useless to hide her thoughts from him. He could read her better than anyone. "I saw an omen today, but I have not been able to find its meaning. I need to meditate on it."

"What did you see?"

She took a sip of cordial and stared into one of the roaring bonfires. "A golden eagle being attacked by three crows."

"How do you know that is an omen? I've seen the same thing many times," the warrior pointed out. Lulu raised an eyebrow at him.

"And who of us is the Seer, I ask you?" she inquired with a smile tugging at her lips. "I have an instinct for this sort of thing, Sir Auron."

He chuckled and pushed his empty plate away. "Then forgive me for questioning you, my lady."

Smirking, the priestess touched his arm lightly before excusing herself and rising to her feet.

She left the dining cave shortly after dinner and made her way through the Ronso village until she found a solitary platform of rock surrounded by shrubs. A small crack of water formed a spring near the centre, and she could feel a cool mountain breeze wafting through. After lighting a small fire with the aid of her magic so that all four elements were present, the mage sat down cross-legged and closed her claret eyes to clear her mind.

_The golden eagle had a heavy silver key hanging from around its neck._

_The first crow held a curved dagger in its beak and seemed to focus its energy on attacking the eagle's head. The second crow clutched a Yevonite staff of wisdom in its talons and busied itself by beating the eagle's back and wings. The third crow, the smallest of the three, had intensely bright blue eyes and was viciously clawing at the eagle's breast, squawking raucously as if possessed by a demon._

_Badly injured, the golden eagle took flight and tried to escape its pursuers. Meanwhile, beneath the crows and eagle, there was a heavy wooden log floating down a river of glowing pyreflies headed towards a deep black chasm. A small brown sparrow with one blue eye and one green eye was tied to the log under a heavy iron chain and lock. The sparrow watched the eagle shrink into the distance and released a mournful cry as the pyreflies carried it further down the ethereal waters. _

Lulu's posture went rigid as her eyes snapped open.

"Tidus, you fool . . ." she whispered, though she did not even hear herself utter them as the lingering visions began to fade.

"Lulu! _Lulu!_"

The priestess masked her surprise and quickly wiped the cold sweat from her brow as Yuna appeared through the shrubs, looking as if she was on the verge of tears.

"Oh, Lulu," the young woman gasped. "Please come quick! There's something wrong with Tidus."

Lulu rose to her feet and folded her arms inside the sleeves of her dress. "Take me to him."

Yuna led her to the healer's cave, where the rest of the group and a few other Ronso were already gathered. Auron was leaning against the wall, staring pensively at the floor with a crease in his brow while Wakka paced restlessly to and fro. Kimahri stood near the cave entrance, his tail flicking erratically behind him. A small fire was lit nearby and the clan's Wiseman was tossing handfuls of herbs into the flames, devoid of any expression. The air was thick with sweet-smelling smoke, and the young Ronso Shadov was chanting unintelligible spells to ward off evil. Tidus was lying motionless on a raised stone platform, cushioned by thick furs. His skin was pale and his glassy eyes stared vacantly at the rock ceiling, unresponsive to the light Rikku was flashing in them. His shirt had been removed, and his chest was moving up and down slowly with each laboured breath.

"His pupils aren't dilating," the Al Bhed girl declared in an abnormally solemn voice, tucking the machina device back in her belt as the two women returned. "And his fever's been climbing steadily for the last fifteen minutes."

Lulu moved swiftly to the young man's side while Yuna hovered anxiously nearby, close enough to watch over her lover while staying out of the way.

The mage laid a cold white hand on his forehead and then listened to his slow, steady heartbeat. The Ronso healer, whom Lulu recognized to be Anka, stepped forward with a stone set expression.

"He does not respond to medicine," she informed them in a deep heavily accented voice. "This is sickness of mind, not body."

"Yuna, can you use your White Magic?" Lulu questioned as she continued to examine Tidus' condition.

Yuna shook her head miserably. "My magic is not designed for this sort of thing. I've tried already. It . . . does nothing."

'_I am so useless_,' she thought, swallowing her tears with as much force as she could. Inside, her magic was pulsing continuously, eager to get out and heal her lover.

"The pressure, ya?" Wakka hissed, still pacing. "It's gotta be the pressure of the mission. He musta snapped. It musta been too much for him . . ."

"Don't talk like that!" Yuna snapped, her voice sharper than necessary. "He would never give in, not like this! He's stronger than that, Wakka, and you know it."

"Calm down," Auron commanded. "We will figure out what is wrong. For now, all we can do is wait and see if he wakes up. Clearly medicine and hymns are doing no good."

Shadov abruptly stopped chanting and blinked owlishly at the guardian, but the Wiseman continued adding powdered herbs to the fire in his trance.

Lulu narrowed her burgundy eyes in thought. "Yuna, tell me what happened."

Wringing her hands, the story poured from Yuna's lips. Lulu listened intently as she described sudden, unexpected change in Tidus' demeanour and the trance-like state he slipped into almost immediately after. Her head felt funny from the perfumed air and she desperately wanted to step outside into the cool mountain wind, but she could not bring herself to leave Tidus' side.

Rikku chewed her bottom lip and then sighed heavily. "Well, that does sound like some kind of panic attack, but I've never heard of one being brought on from nothing. I'm no brain doctor, but I don't think we're dealing with something that medicine can fix."

The others fell silent at her statement, partly out of respect for the fact that such a serious remark came from her of all people, and partly to contemplate what on Spira they could do to help.

Kimahri snarled in frustration and turned to face the Wiseman, an elderly Ronso named Ogath. The tribe leader barked a question at the old creature, who remained transfixed by the fire's dance. The light glowed eerily in his empty ochre eyes.

"Ogath sense evil in young human's mind," he said in a low, surprisingly soft voice. "Much evil that cannot be named. Someone from outside has poisoned his mind."

Yuna felt the blood drain from her face. "Someone . . . from the outside?"

"Who would do this?" Wakka demanded angrily.

Lulu felt her pulse quicken and thought back to her vision of the eagle and crows. The first crow with a dagger in its beak had been attacking the eagle's head. Could it be related to all this?

"Yuna," she said sternly, fixing the younger woman with an unwavering stare. "You were with Tidus before we came along. Tell me; was their _anyone_ who wished to harm you two, other than Seymour and the Yevonites?"

Yuna opened and closed her mouth a few times, her stomach twisting with guilt. She should have told them long ago, and now Tidus was potentially paying for their mistake with his very life.

She licked her lips and dropped her eyes to the ground. "There was an assassin sent after us. He . . . he disappeared a while ago and we have not seen any sign of him since you and Sir Auron joined up with us," she confessed, wishing the cave floor would open up and swallow her into infinity.

There was a moment of heavy silence before Rikku cursed violently enough to draw all eyes to her.

"Yunie, why didn't you tell us?" the young teenager demanded, stomping her foot in agitation. "Now I know that I _was_ sensing a follower back at the foot of the mountain! By the sands, I _knew_ there was somebody back there watching us!"

"I'm sorry," Yuna murmured, her eyes stinging. "I- we should have told you right away. I thought he had given up on chasing us and it did not seem so important anymore. I am such an imbecile . . ."

Taking pity on the summoner's young daughter, Wakka moved forward and rested a big hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, don't say that," he consoled, squeezing her lightly. "I'm sure I woulda felt the same way in your place, ya?"

"That doesn't change the fact that there is a dangerous assassin trailing us," Auron commented darkly. "Not only that, but he's attacking us in a way against which we can't fight back. This is a battle Tidus has to fight on his own."

"Well, my brudda Tidus is a strong lad," Wakka said with a firm nod. "Yuna was right about that much. He'll pull through, just you wait and see."

"Anyone of us could be the next target," Lulu added, pursing her lips.

"I don't think so," Yuna countered. "When it was just the two of us, the assassin only seemed to go after Tidus. I think Seymour wanted him out of the way specifically so that I would be easier to detain upon reaching the temple in Bevelle."

"Be that as it may," the priestess continued, "I don't want to take any risks. I'm placing a protective spell on all of us to keep the intruder out. Unfortunately it won't work on Tidus, but it may help the rest of us keep our minds cloaked."

Before anyone else could respond, Tidus stirred on the stone platform and moaned hoarsely. In a heartbeat Yuna was at his side, running her hand down the side of his face.

"Tidus? Tidus, can you hear me?" she implored, searching his strained expression. His head lolled to the side as he struggled to open his eyes.

"Water," he gasped, his lids gradually flickering open. "Please . . ."

Rikku appeared with a gourd of water and gently eased it between his slack lips so that he could drink.

"Easy now," she mumbled, careful not to release too much. "Just a bit for now, okay?"

He turned his face away when he'd had enough, and Auron approached him in a business like manner.

"Do you remember anything about what happened?" the elder warrior asked.

Too weak to speak, Tidus just slowly shook his head. Yuna wondered if she was the only one who noticed how he hesitated as she reached over to clasp his sweaty hand.

"So tired," he whispered, his lips barely moving. "Can't . . . can't . . ."

"Hush now," Yuna instructed mercifully, kissing his damp forehead. "Just sleep, Tidus. We'll all be watching over you."

He was asleep before he heard her last words.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Yuna did not realize she had dozed off at his side until she felt him move against her. Her head snapped upright and she blinked in the darkness of the cave. She had knelt next to the stone table all night and without noticing, she gradually allowed her head to fall into the cradle of her arms and fell into a deep dreamless slumber. She was still holding Tidus' hand, and there was no one else present with them.

"Yuna?" he asked with a light cough, his voice a mere flutter. Dawn sunlight was slowly making its way into the sky, but the cavern was still almost pitch black save for the embers of the Wiseman's fire.

"I'm here. Are you all right? How do you feel?"

"Like a blacksmith is hammering on my skull," he admitted, lying back down with a groan. Smiling, Yuna rose stiffly to her feet, trying to ignore the ache in her knees. Judging by his answer, he was getting better.

"Would you like anything?"

In the darkness she saw him open his mouth to reply, but then he swiftly closed it again.

"No, thank you. I just . . ." he trailed off and Yuna peered down at him closely to make sure he had not fallen asleep again.

"Yes?"

He sat up so suddenly that his head nearly collided with hers. She jumped back and stared at his face, alight with the orange glow of the dying fire. His expression was colder and more lifeless than any other she'd seen on his face, and her heart flew into her throat.

"I need to talk to you," he said in a flat voice. Yuna was alarmed now. Tidus had never looked or sounded so . . . empty. "It's important."

"O-okay," she faltered, seating herself next to him at the edge of the table.

Slowly he reached out and took her hand, but the gesture did little to put her at ease. Rather, it was as if he was trying to brace her for something terrible. He licked his lips and then brought his eyes up to meet hers.

"You know that you are . . . you are _so_ important to me. Right?" he began hesitantly. She nodded once in confirmation and offered him a small smile. Why could she not still her racing heart?

"And . . . you should also know that I've never felt so for any other person in my life," he added, looking away from her. "I doubt there is anything I wouldn't do to ensure your happiness."

"Tidus, what-?"

"Please," he interrupted. "I have to say this." He took a deep breath before continuing. "In spite of all that . . . I think the journey has taken on a rather strange twist. You have five guardians watching over you, Yuna. Auron is the greatest warrior I've ever known, Lulu can handle any problem with that magic of hers, Rikku is a brilliant healer and fighter, and Wakka's got more strength in one arm than I've got in my whole body. Not only that, but I've heard the Ronso whispering that Kimahri might join you, and I don't even want to _think_ of what he can do to someone in battle."

He paused and swallowed thickly, tightening his grip on her hand. "I-I made a mistake in letting myself care for you. My feelings have altered my judgement."

She felt time slow down around her.

"I can't make all the right decisions anymore, not while I'm so consumed by you."

Blood pounded in her veins.

"I . . . I'm weak now. I cannot see the end of this journey for fear of losing you."

The cave had gone deathly quiet, yet she felt as if she was being deafened by her own heartbeat.

"I think the time has come for me to leave you, Yuna."

Time stopped.

How could the world be spinning so quickly if time no longer existed?

Somewhere in the back of her mind she was screaming, yet her face could not move to form any expression. Her hand felt dead in his.

"It's not that I want to," he said quickly, dropping her hand and standing up to pace the floor of the cave. "Believe me, this is the last thing I want. But you must-"

"You . . . you mean to leave me? Just like that? After everything you promised?"

Without consciously thinking to, she stood up.

"You think you can walk away from everything we've been through together?"

His face was a mask of apathy, and were it not for the pain swallowing her nerves she would have flown to him with her nails aimed right at his eyes.

"That is my decision. I am sorry you cannot seem to understand, but my mind is made up," he replied rigidly.

"You can't _do_ this," she told him, hardly able to believe this was happening. "You . . . you gave me your word!"

"Words can be taken back," he retorted, his voice still remarkably cool. "Don't make this any harder than it is."

"This word cannot be taken back!" she hissed. "Your _oath_ cannot be taken back! Don't you dare presume to undo everything we worked for, what our friends have _died_ for!"

He swayed on his feet for a second, as if the force of her words shook him physically. But then the blank expression returned and the steely edge to his voice was all the more sharp.

"Nothing can bring that village back, Yuna, not even if we were to succeed. Whether I stay or continue on is irrelevant now. All that matters is that you keep going, and if I am to stay, I may jeopardize everything."

"You don't _know_ that!" she shot back. "You have no idea what you are talking about!"

"I am not asking you to understand, Yuna," he returned coldly.

"Y-you are a coward!" she shrieked, pointing an accusing finger at him. "You are nothing but a coward, crawling away on your hands and knees! This is not you, Tidus, this is not the man I fell in love with!"

"Goodbye, Yuna," he said in a numb voice, turning to leave.

And all the anger, all the fury was gone, just like the flame of a candle being snuffed out by a quick cruel breath. Yuna through herself down at his feet and without pride or reservation, she clung to his legs and wept against him.

"I need you," she begged. "Can you not see I am nothing if not yours? Can you not see that I will fail if you're not at my side? I can't go alone, Tidus. No matter how many other guardians I have with me, I will still be alone without you!"

For a long time he said not a word, standing motionless as she cried against his thigh. Suddenly he dropped down to one knee and took her face between his hands, moving so quickly that she did not even realize what was happening until he pressed his lips against hers.

As abruptly as it happened, he broke away from her and rose to his feet, leaving her kneeling on the stone floor like a broken doll.

"I am sorry," was all he said.

He then whirled around, and all she could see through her tears was his blurred shadow fading from sight.

"No . . ." she choked. "Please . . ."

She scrambled ungracefully back upright and staggered towards the cave's mouth. She parted her lips to tell him the one sliver of information that could have perhaps swayed his decision. The words were on her tongue, the confession so close to emerging, but a wave of bile rose up and smothered her efforts. She vomited brutally off to the side and then ran clumsily to the exit.

"Tidus!" she screamed, her voice echoing sharply throughout the mountain range. Her frantic eyes could not detect him anywhere. "_Tidus!_"

All she heard in reply was silence. Cold, empty, soulless silence.

"_TIDUS!_"

Nothing.

There was nothing.

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With clenched fists, Lulu lay awake on her mattress of furs and listened to the hysteric screams die down. At her side, Auron was pretending to be asleep, but she could sense the tension inside of him and knew that he was hearing everything she was. Rikku was weeping softly into her pillow, and Wakka stared grimly at the ceiling of the cave, his jaw set firmly.

The black mage priestess sighed deeply and closed her eyes to prevent tears from gathering. Her voice was barely more than a whisper as she spoke to the dark,

"Tidus, you _fool_."


	28. The Hunter's Snare

Tidus stumbled down the mountain path, blinded by tears and sweat and pain. The headache had lasted for over an hour since he left Yuna behind at the Ronso village. In fact, it was steadily getting worse. He could hardly see straight, even when his eyes were dry. The sharp winds battered him, tearing at his clothes and hair brutally.

He could still hear her voice echoing plaintively all around, screaming his name.

His departure had been swift and unplanned. Taking only his sword and the cloak on his back he fled the township and headed down a narrow trail that led away from the one he had traveled up with his companions. He had no idea where to go. He had no idea which direction he was heading. And he didn't really have the heart to care.

_You did the right thing_.

He tripped on a root curling over the trail and fell to his knees, gasping for air. He hadn't wanted to leave but he was unable to resist the force compelling him to go. He hadn't meant to sound so cold, so . . . uncaring. Gods, did she see how much pain he was in behind the mask he wore? Had she sensed his grief? He wanted nothing more than to grab her and kiss the tears from her face, hating himself that he should be the cause of her distress. Part of him, somewhere deep beneath the anguish and defeat, knew that there was foul play at work inside of him. These cowardly thoughts could not be his. These twisted words and half-truths could not be his. Could they?

'_Who are you? What are you?'_

_We are one and the same._

"No," he choked, scrambling back up to his feet. It was still dark out, and he was forced to feel his way along the precarious path with his hand on the rock wall next to him. "Whatever you are, you are _not_ a part of me!"

_Put it all behind you. You are free now. _

"Get out of my head," he whispered through barely moving lips, clutching his skull helplessly. "Get out. I have nowhere else to go. I-I have to turn back!"

_There is no going back. Did you not see her rage? She has forsaken you from her heart. There is nothing worth returning to_.

"Stop it! _Stop it!_" The resonation of his voice hurt his ears.

But it would not go away, whatever it was. And try as he might, he could not rid himself of the small nagging belief that maybe it was right. The journey had become so difficult, its meaning lost in all the danger and lies and lost lives. Yuna would be safe with the others. They could protect her better than he could.

_You were weak. You let your heart guide your senses. You would have put them all in peril had you stayed. You did the right thing. Let it go_.

"I . . . I love her." Ah, this headache! Would it never stop? Would it never go away?

_And that is your demon._

He walked in a numb state afterwards, staggering down the mountain like a drugged toddler. Several times he collapsed and slept fitfully with plaguing dreams to further torment him, only to wake up and continue along the dreary path. Time seemed to have no meaning. He was not aware of the morning sunlight on his face, nor the slight levelling of the ground under his feet as he drew closer to the base of the Range.

It was only when he lost his footing and fell into a mound of sand that he realized that he had gone backwards and was back in the Rammvena. Blinking sluggishly to rid his eyes of sweat and grain, Tidus rolled onto his side and propped himself up on one elbow to look around. The pain in his head was a steady pulsation, but by now he was hardly conscious of it. The Gagazet Range was still close by. In fact, he could hardly be more than two leagues away from the foot of the nearest mountain.

Fear gripped him. Had he not awoken to his location, he could have marched endlessly until wandering right into the Yevonite Army frontlines.

He shifted onto his back and closed his eyes, letting the earth spin beneath him. The fear, just as sudden as it had arrived, began to abate. Would it really be so bad to be caught? Chances are they would kill him on sight. He could be freed from all this turmoil. He could fly away from all of it.

"Oh, I don't think so."

He knew that voice.

Without warning, his headache intensified triple fold. Screaming in agony, Tidus attempted to lift up his arms to cradle his head when he felt a cold blade tip press itself against his throat. He opened his eyes, but he could see nothing past the pain.

"Planning on giving up so soon? A pity. I thought you had more backbone than that." The assassin was crouched next to the young man, holding the curved dagger in place.

"BASTARD!" Tidus snarled, spitting the word through bared teeth. "It was _you!_"

Tremath laughed softly and applied more pressure behind the knife, making the young man choke slightly. "Clever boy."

"You p-poisoned me! Tricked me! I'll kill you, you snake!" Tidus launched himself upward, shoving the knife away from him as he rose like a shark from the depths of an ocean.

_Stop_.

Tidus froze. He did not want to, but his muscles went taut and his limbs stiffened, and he found that he was bound in place by the invisible command. Tremath smiled beneath his cloak, his ice blue eyes gleaming.

"Very good. It is about time someone enforced manners on you, my lad," he said in a gentle tone that made the hair on the back of Tidus' neck stand up.

"Demoncraft . . ."

"Not quite. A simple mind trick will suffice for someone like you. It is amazing what one can accomplish through simple games."

Tidus struggled to free himself, but his body refused to obey. He was trapped like an animal in a hunter's snare.

'_What have I done_ . . .'

"Kill me then, and get it over with," he hissed, his fingers aching to tear out the assassin's eyes. "You have me just as you want. Do it."

Again, Tremath laughed that sickening laugh of his. Tidus wished he had the physical privilege of shuddering. The ache in his head became a ceaseless drumbeat.

"Did you think it would be so easy?" he inquired, pacing in a small circle around Tidus' statuesque form. "Oh, I must admit, when I first entered your mind I planned on having you wander innocently into my clutches so that I may kill you and be done with this miserable job. After all, I am being paid for your blood. But after a night of contemplation, I've come to the conclusion that death is too good for a boy like you."

He paused in front of his prey and ran a gloved finger down the young man's face. Tidus clenched his jaw, but could not retaliate. "You seem like a sensible person, so I will be honest with you. Most people live under the assumption that their lives are complete by the time death arrives at their doorstep. They accept it gracefully and bow their heads to the Dark Lady's kiss. But the fools realize so little about the world they lived and breathed and worked in. Many people can live their entire lives without seeing a dead body, or witness a crime. How can they rest knowing they have not witnessed so much of what this world has to show them? You and I have seen these things and more, I'm certain. Surely you of all people understand that before death, one must see everything before being truly at peace in the next life."

"Madman," Tidus whispered, using extreme mental force to get his tongue and jaws moving.

Tremath tapped the flat of his dagger against Tidus' chest mockingly. "I will leave you with your opinion. But are you not curious as to what I'm leading up to?"

When Tidus did not respond, Tremath continued his circular pacing. "I will not kill you right away. No, I have something much better in mind for you. I am going to escort you to Bevelle, just as you wanted, but you will not be reunited with that little wench of yours."

Tidus felt the blood drain from his complexion.

"You are going to watch your friends all die, one by one. You are going to watch Seymour feed your lover's body to Sin like a dog accepting table scraps. You will watch her magic flow into that Guado's veins and you will hear her voice on his and see her in his eyes. You will watch all of this and die without question by the time my blade finds you. What say you?"

For a long time Tidus could summon no words. There were none that could articulate the unadulterated rage pounding in his heart. No words to express the terror he felt at the prospect of bearing witness to such a thing.

"Why?" he asked weakly, his voice little more than a murmur. He could not understand it. He simply could not comprehend the reason behind such needless torture.

"Why?" the assassin repeated, sounding somewhat incredulous. "Why, you ask? Because, dear boy, only then will you understand the true nature of life. When you understand life, you will then understand death and be free to move on to the next world."

"I-I don't understand. How will this . . . teach me the nature of life?"

"What most people claim to understand and what they have actually experienced are often two different things. You would agree that life is a fragile balance of peace and chaos, life and death, light and darkness, etcetera. Thus it too must be a balance of pleasure and pain, happiness and despair. You cannot truly live until you have experienced both. How can you live a life of bliss and die knowing that you have failed to know true darkness and heartache? I mean _true_ darkness. The kind that can drive men to mindless killing machines. The kind that eats away at one's soul. You have known a woman's love and returned it with the same passion. Now you must know the pain of love's loss. You must see your angel, your goddess, ripped from this world to experience pain beyond anything you've ever felt. Otherwise life's meaning will elude you, and peace shall never come to you in death."

Tidus wanted to close his eyes, or at the very least look away from his captor's unnerving stare, but found that he still could not while under the mind spell. "And why do you care how I die? What business is it of yours? I am only a target to you, a bounty to claim. Why are you willing to risk it all to teach me this . . . this lesson of yours?"

At this, Tremath was silent. His posture seemed to shift, but not in a way that Tidus could visually perceive. It was as if a change had just swooped over his demeanour, and the young man found himself wishing he could see his opponent's face to gauge his emotions.

"Come on, assassin, give me an answer. Run out of philosophies?" he goaded, feeling the body binding spell slip slightly.

The cloaked man's aura seemed to crackle electricity and Tidus felt the charge shoot through him. Gasping in pain but still not free to move, the young warrior felt sweat break out on his forehead and upper lip.

"I think it's time that we address names, hmmm?" Tremath suggested in a hard tone. "From now on you shall address me as 'Master'. Understood?"

Tidus released perhaps the most volatile string of curses he had ever uttered before.

"Tsk tsk, boy. Tell me you never kissed Braska's daughter with _that_ mouth," the assassin reprimanded. "And let's not forget what happens when you displease me."

The electrical surge came back and sent shockwaves through Tidus' body and the binding spell broke only enough so that he could sink to his knees, gasping violently.

"Now, what do you call me?"

"S-son of a-" he broke off to release an unbidden scream as the charge went off inside of him again. Warm blood began pouring from his nose.

"Again."

To his ever-lasting shame, Tidus screamed again until the electrical energy subsided. "M-Master!"

"Very good. Now, I think you're name should be . . . hmmm. Well, I suppose 'Slave' would only be appropriate in this situation, wouldn't you agree?"

Fighting the extreme desire to rip his subjugator's throat out with his very teeth, Tidus only nodded.

"Excellent. Now, Slave, I want you come with me. My new horse is waiting for my return," Tremath commanded, purposefully turning his back to his new captive and heading towards a small cluster of trees nearby. Tidus, knowing it was a test, slowly rose back to his feet and resigned himself to follow. The spell on his body permitted only closely guarded movements, nothing sudden or prolonged. He could not even turn his head all the way without feeling the surge of pain swoop over him again.

Entering the heart of the scattered desert trees, Tidus saw a familiar sight over the assassin's shoulder.

"Kyrida," he breathed, ridiculously relieved to see the mare alive and well, even in the hands of an enemy. She nickered softly and plodded towards him as far as her rope harness would allow her. Tidus approached her and slowly lifted his arms stroke her neck, leaning his face against her. "Oh, you pretty thing. I've missed you. How did you get all the way out here with him?"

"Ah, that little beauty came to me all on her own. Quite a find, I must say," Tremath said proudly, as if the horse had practically skipped into his skilful grasp. He busied himself by moving around the small camp, collecting small questionable knick-knacks and concealing them in the numerous sacks dangling from his belt. Tidus ignored him and continued stroking the horse. It was good to see a recognizable face, even that of an animal's. At least he knew he still had one friend left in the world. Kyrida snorted and lipped at his cloak affectionately. She looked well fed, if not slightly shaggy from lack of brushing, and her normally proud head seemed to droop a little lower than he remembered.

"Come, Slave, saddle up the horse. We'll leave as soon as your useless hide gets moving," Tremath ordered brusquely, tightening the drawstrings of his cloak. Tidus, reluctant to move from Kyrida's warm pelt, must have moved at a slower pace than what was desired. A jolt of pain rocketed through his limbs and made him cry out sharply.

"When I want a job done, I want it done immediately. Understood, Slave?"

"Yes! Yes, I understand! Please, stop!" Tidus begged, hating himself for sounding so weak at another's mercy. It was a power struggle that he could never win under the circumstances, but the shame burned nevertheless.

The pain faded, and he shakily moved to do as he was told. Would he really have to endure all of this until reaching Bevelle? Would his last days alive be spent in pain, both of the body and of the heart?

The sickening truth of his fate staring him in the face, Tidus watched his master mount Kyrida and followed him away from the encampment. It was to be a long death that he should suffer.

And yet, his heart was saddened even more by the knowledge that he would be utterly incapable of helping his friends.

_I'm so sorry, Yuna. I've failed you. Ah, my love, I've failed you all . . ._

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Seymour loved Bevelle. It was big yet quiet, colourful but sedate, bright but numb. It was one contradiction after another. It was undeniably the most beautiful city in all of Spira, yet it was the heartbeat of organized crime. Though mysterious deaths occurred on a regular basis, the streets were always safe after dark. Unless, of course, some hapless human being happened to make a wrong move in the eyes of the crime lords. There was a fragile armistice between the bosses and the government. The politicians paid the crime lords to keep the city's peace in check, meaning all 'jobs' were to be secret and undetected to the public eye. Civilians lived their lives in oblivious contentment, unaware of the countless gangs and mob bosses living among them.

The Order of Yevon Headquarters was, as it had been for centuries, located in the heart of the city. It was an enormous, elaborate, richly designed building surrounded by gardens and framed by a massive manmade moat. The gargantuan granite doors were open all day, free to the public for anyone in need of spiritual guidance.

Seymour, flanked by two personal guards, glided over the arched stone bridge towards the front doors, his violet robe billowing out behind him in the breeze.

Inside the building, it was remarkably silent for such an active time of day. It took the Maester a moment to remember that there was a blitzball tournament going on in the city, and smiled to himself. All the more perfect for him. The main chamber, an impressive marble and gold hall, was empty except for one figure standing just past the entrance.

"Maester Kinoc," Seymour said genially. "How kind of you to greet me."

"Seymour," Kinoc greeted, nodding his head respectfully. There was no amiability between the two. In fact, they disliked each other greatly. But for appearances and the sake of pride, both men were forced to put on false smiles, even though Seymour was a much better actor than the stocky bald Second-Order Maester.

"You received my message, then?"

"I'm here, aren't I? Let's make this quick, I told His Holiness Mika that I'd meet him in Killika this very evening." The orange-robed Maester's bark was much sharper than usual, but given the state of affairs, Seymour was not surprised. A massive typhoon had devastated the southern coast of Killika, killing hundreds, wounding many, and destroying half the seaside villages. Mika, the head of Yevon's Order, had travelled there to Send the dead and counsel the mourning.

"Let us head into your private office, shall we?" the Guado offered, smoothly sidestepping the other man's brusqueness. "Gentleman," he said, turning to his guards, "you may be excused. Wait for me at the ship."

The two soldiers saluted and jogged away, back towards the landing platform outside. The two Maesters turned to walk together through the main chamber.

"Sin must be growing impatient. I'm amazed at you, Seymour. Men of your . . . tenacity . . . are not known for repeated failure," Kinoc remarked with a malicious edge of amusement. "Yuna and that Tidus boy must be getting awfully close to Bevelle."

Seymour's eyes hardened, while his expression remained passive. He folded his arms in his robe sleeves and kept his focus ahead.

"Then you will not lend soldiers to assist me in my search?"

"Why should I?" the other man scoffed. "They'll be here in a matter of days, more or less. Why not just set a trap and let them walk straight into it? The larger the army, Seymour, the more questions people start to ask. Marching an entire platoon through the Calm Lands _and_ the Rammvena is drawing enough attention as it is."

"I must do what is necessary to keep them from reaching their destination."

"Your assassin didn't succeed, then, did he?" Kinoc questioned, quirking a bushy brow.

Seymour sighed inaudibly through his nostrils. "We have not received word in quite some time on Tremath's progress."

Kinoc snorted. "Well, two youngsters still don't frighten me."

"So I see you have not been informed," Seymour deadpanned.

"Informed? What of?"

The Guado Maester regarded the man next to him with a closed expression. "Lady Yuna now has five, potentially six guardians with her. Along with Tidus, she has Sir Auron, Mistress Lulu of the pagan forests, an Al Bhed girl, and a deserter named Wakka. It is likely that a Ronso will be joining her as well."

Kinoc blinked in surprise at the news, but then merely shrugged it off. "So be it. I still see no reason to fret. What can they do against the power of your legion?"

"Quite a lot, I'm afraid, if we do not stop them in time. If they reach the temple, as it is likely they are to do, I do not want them to have a chance. They may discover more about Sin's origins than I am willing to allow. They _must_ be intervened, Kinoc, and I fear it will take more strength than we anticipated," he cautioned, a trace of urgency in his voice.

"Very well," Kinoc snapped, pushing the doors of his office open. He swiftly moved to a locked cabinet across the room and pulled out a white scroll tied with a blue ribbon. He shoved it uncouthly into Seymour's hands. "Here is your damn order. Send it to the command centre and take as many soldiers as you want. Frankly, though, I'm not sure this is a good idea. If you mess up any more than you already have, I've a mind to report you to Mika myself."

Seymour smiled a reptilian smile and tucked the scroll in the front of his robe.

"Then it is a very good think you are not required to think anymore, my friend."

Kinoc frowned, not comprehending Seymour's words. "What do you mean?"

A knife plunged into his stomach faster than he could blink. Seymour's knuckles were white, his fingers still clutching the handle. Before Kinoc could sink to his knees, he withdrew the blade and sheathed it once more up his sleeve. Gasping soundlessly, the wounded Maester stared up at the Guado in horror as blood began to ooze from the corner of his mouth.

"Thank you, Maester Kinoc," Seymour said cordially. "You've been most helpful."

The smile never left his lips as he exited the office, leaving one more death in his wake.


	29. The Day After

Yuna was unconscious when Auron found her the next morning. Having collapsed at the mouth of the healer's cave, it was a miracle that she had not frozen to death. Her complexion was ashen, and the older guardian could distinctly see fingernail marks on her face where she had been clawing in the throes of grief. His heart twisted painfully at the sight she made.

He removed his cloak and drew it around her frail form as he carefully scooped her up in his arms. Until then, he had never realized just how small she was, how much this journey had drained her.

After arranging her still form on the stone table, cushioned with thick furs and pillows, Auron went about setting up a small fire. No doubt she would wake up feeling extremely ill, both from exposure and internal misery.

Lulu came up behind him, moving silently. "How is she?"

"For now, at peace," he replied grimly, tucking her in once more for extra measure. "Where are the others?"

"Rikku is arranging for our supplies to be replenished, and Wakka is packing up our things." She paused for a moment, and in a slightly lighter tone, added, "It seems that Kimahri will be accompanying us to Bevelle. He intends to investigate whether or not the temple has anything to do with the missing Ronso children."

Auron raised an eyebrow. "So he refrained from admitting how unwilling he is to let Yuna out of his sight so soon."

Lulu smirked. "Conveniently."

The moment passed and the two of them fell silent, each wondering who of them would be the first to bring it up.

Auron caved, sighing heavily. "I thought I had that boy figured out. How could he leave her so suddenly, with no warning? Especially with her condition . . ."

His lover glanced at him sharply. "How do you know of that?"

He chuckled grimly. "Lulu, Tidus was the only one blind enough not to recognize her symptoms. Even Wakka commented on it to me in private."

She shook her head and moved forward to push a lock of hair away from Yuna's vacant face. "I do not fully understand either, but I am certain that there is more to all this than it seems. I doubt that Tidus made the decision of his own free will," she said softly.

Auron's brow creased. "You mean to say that Tidus was still under the mind spell? That would explain it, then."

"I simply cannot conceive him abandoning Yuna so close to the end for any other reason."

"Well, it can't be Seymour controlling him. It's too dramatic, too complicated. He would just as quickly put a knife in Tidus' gut as lure him away with fancy spells," the guardian reasoned. "Besides, Seymour was never very advanced in that branch of magic."

"It was a primitive spell," Lulu countered. "I recognize the energy it gave off. Such a simple trick does not require much power, and even nonmagics can acquire enough knowledge to pull it off. It was learned quickly and executed clumsily. I am guessing the perpetrator only has minimal control, and Tidus did the majority of the damage to himself."

"Then who?" Auron asked pensively, before his mind came to a sudden conclusion on its own. He grimaced. "The assassin."

"He seems the most likely villain, according to what Yuna told us about him," the mage agreed. "Such underhandedness is common among his type."

"So Tidus is heading into a trap."

"I saw his footprints heading towards one of the smaller paths back down the mountain. In his state he probably did not make it very far. He may not have even reached the Rammvena yet," Lulu commented, suggestion hanging in the air.

He regarded her blankly. "You mean to go after him," he deadpanned, his voice betraying no uncertainty.

"Yuna needs him. Without him, she will have no strength to continue. At this point, we cannot afford to take that risk."

His stomach lurched uncomfortably. "Perhaps I should be the one to-"

"No," she cut him off firmly, placing a finger against his lips. Her hand then moved to cup the side of his face and she softened her tone. "No, Auron. You need to lead the others. Yuna will need your guidance. And besides, of all of us, I am the most resistant to mind attacks. I will be able to protect myself better than you against such a foe. Do you understand?"

He gazed at her for a long time, expressionless but his heart in turmoil, before he finally resigned. He pulled her in for a kiss and sighed against her. "I don't suppose there is any argument between us that you can't win in the end."

She smiled. "I suppose not."

"Be careful."

"I always am, love."

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It was the pungent scent of wine that woke Yuna several hours later. Her vision swimming, the young woman slowly sat up, squinting in the darkness. A moment later her eyes adjusted, and she caught sight of her cousin standing next to her with a flask in hand.

"Thought that would do the trick," Rikku said with a soft smile. "You need something strong, eh?"

Yuna wordlessly took the flask and drank deeply, hungry for the wine's numbing powers. Rikku gently but forcefully pulled it back.

"Hey, take it easy!" the younger girl cried. "You don't want to end up with half your brain cells missing like my brother's, do you?"

"I don't know what I want right now," Yuna replied tonelessly, throwing her legs over the edge of the table. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Not too long. Just a few hours," the Al Bhed informed her, corking the flask and tossing it aside. "Are you hungry?"

"No. Where is Auron?"

Rikku jerked her head to the cave's exit. "Talking with Kimahri. Did you know he's going to come with us? Kimahri, I mean."

Yuna reflected on this news and nodded once. "I thought as much. It will be good to have him along."

Rikku bit her lip and watched her cousin leave, wondering at her strange new behaviour. There was definitely something missing. Gone was the kindly aura that surrounded her. Gone was the timid, soft-spoken young lady. Something new had emerged from Yuna's heart, a colder version of herself brought to life from the anguish she had been through; the anguish she was still battling.

Yuna even walked differently. She walked with a straight back and determined stride, her fists clenched as they swung at her side. Her expression was set grimly, her eyes fixed unflinchingly ahead.

She was _angry_. Sweet aeons, she was beyond angry, and the only face she could call to mind as the root of it was Tidus. A small fraction of her was appalled that she felt more fury than sorrow towards him, but she could not help it, and she did not want to. The wrath fuelled her, killing the fear that had hounded her since the journey began. If she relented, if she suppressed her vehemence, she knew without a doubt that she would break beyond repair. The maddening pain that threatened to swallow her would be more than she could bear. She could not risk such weakness, not now, not ever. Tidus was gone. He left her behind for his own selfish reasons, and she had no choice but to move on and focus on the mission.

The worst part was knowing that she would never be rid of him. No matter how far he ran from her, no matter how stubbornly she marched in the opposite direction, his face and voice and touch would haunt her incessantly.

It was late afternoon, almost evening. The Ronso village was still active, making preparations for dinner. A few of them nodded politely at Yuna as she passed, but she broke her own rule of courtesy and ignored them.

"Auron," she said sharply, finally spotting her guardian. He was in the middle of discussing something with Kimahri, as Rikku predicted, and he stopped abruptly when he caught sight of her. The two of them were standing near a paddock full of enormous horses that Yuna had never seen before. Were it not for their sheer size, she would have taken them for ordinary mountain horses, thick, stocky creatures with shaggy fur and sturdy legs. Their tangled manes and tails blew in the wind, and they grazed peacefully behind the archaic wood fence. Yuna supposed that they were bred especially to bear the weight of the large Ronso species.

"I want to leave tomorrow at dawn," she told Auron bluntly, ignoring the way both he and the Ronso chief were regarding her. "Please be ready." He seemed to hesitate, though remaining expressionless. For a moment she wondered if he was going to argue. Then he seemed to think better of himself.

"So be it. Kimahri will be-"

"Going with us," she interrupted swiftly, "I know. I am glad." She acknowledged her old caretaker with the briefest of glances. Without another pause, she turned on her heel to walk away. Her hands were shaking, oppressing the shock she felt. She had never spoken so sharply to anyone before, and the guilt was slowly building up. But she smothered it once more, refusing to go back to her old ways. Her old self was weak. _He_ had made her even weaker, toying with her heart and then casting it aside the next moment. She had to be strong now.

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Wakka found her at the practice ring, a flat rock platform where Ronso warriors honed their combat skills. The sun was setting, and a cold chill crept back into the air. He squatted on his heels to watch her, more than a little surprised to see a dagger in her hand. She was wielding it slowly and methodically, going over a basic routine that most Yevonite soldiers underwent during training. At first he could not fathom where a temple-raised woman would learn such manoeuvres, but then the answer came upon him in the next moment. _Tidus._ The name itself cast a shadow over the young man's heart. He still could not believe his best friend would simply desert them all. It was so out of character that he couldn't conceive it.

She noticed him watching her, but she did not make a move to speak to him. Her mind was busy enough trying to remember all the moves she had learned not long ago, disciplining her body to carry them out. It was all coming back to her rather quickly, and soon she fell into the rhythm. There was nothing on her mind but the sword in her hand, the tautness of her muscles as she moved.

The former Yevonite Warrior stood up and approached her, drawing his own blade. "Not bad," he commented with a light smile. "A little rusty, but not bad, ya?"

Yuna stopped and wiped the sweat off her brow. "I just need to know enough to defend myself," she replied coolly, not looking at him. "That's all."

He stopped and frowned at the difference he saw in her. Uncomfortably, he shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Did you . . . I mean, do you wanna talk about it?"

"No," she said sharply. "I don't."

He shook his head at her answer, knowing full well that part of her _did_. "It's okay, ya? It helps to talk. I'm a good listener, you know."

"Wakka, I said no."

"Yuna, lady, you ain't fooling anybody. You can trust me, ya? Just . . . say whatever it is you're feeling right now. Go ahead," he coaxed, sheathing his sword and crossing his heavily muscled arms. "I'm all ears."

She stared at him, torn between shouting at him and relenting. He returned the stare patiently, his expression placid and inviting. She pursed her lips for a moment and then dropped her gaze.

"You want to know what I'm feeling?" she whispered, struggling to neutralize her voice. "You . . . _insist_ on knowing?"

"Whenever you're ready."

"All right. Here's what I'm feeling: I'm angry Wakka," she confessed. "I'm . . . furious, really. But not half as furious as I am hurt. I am so hurt that I can't even stand to think about it without having my heart break all over again. I-I . . . I can't even . . ."

Her voice cracked and she dropped her sword. It clattered piercingly on the stone, but neither she nor Wakka reacted to it. "I can't even picture him in my head without . . . without . . . wanting to scream or cry or hurt someone, anyone, just as long as someone else can feel as torn up as I do."

He took a step closer to her, his brow furrowed with concern for her. In the short time he had to get to know her, Wakka already felt an instinctive brotherly affection for her, and any pain she was feeling was enough to hurt him as well.

She was crying without even realizing it. "A-and, spirits help me, I want him back. I want him back so that I can kill him, or . . . or kiss him or beg him to love me again, or . . . _something_. I don't know what to do, Wakka," she whispered, closing her eyes. "I never thought I would have to face this without him. He was with me from the beginning, and now . . . now it's like I have go into the darkness alone and blind."

A sob shook her body and she lowered her face into her hands, kneeling down on the stone. "I don't want to be alone, Wakka. I can't be alone. I just can't."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Wakka sat down in front of her and reached out to clasp her shoulder. "Yuna, you will never be alone. You get the rest of us, ya? We'll stick right along with you, no matter what."

Yuna raised her stricken eyes to him. "I could never ask for a better group of people to walk with me," she told him, her voice sounding a lot like it used to. "I really couldn't. But I could have an entire army of friends at my side and still have no one the way I had him. The way he had _me_."

Silence fell between them. At long last, Wakka released his hold on her shoulder and spoke again.

"Yuna . . . Mistress Lulu went off to bring him back to us. To you," he told her slowly, unsure exactly how she would handle the news. For a long time she did not say anything and simply stared at him. Then, slowly, understanding dawned upon her.

"Did . . . did she say when she might be back? With him?" she questioned tentatively, hardly daring to breathe. Wakka shook his head.

"She couldn't say," he answered truthfully. "But she _did_ say that Tidus can't have gone very far, ya? Maybe she already caught up with him."

Swallowing heavily, Yuna rose to her feet. "Oh. Good. That's very good."

"Are you all right?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes, I'm fine. Everything is fine."

"But . . . ?"

She bit her lip and avoided his eyes. "I just don't know how things will be afterwards. If I see him again, that is. I don't know if it will all go back to normal or if he will still be the . . . the stranger he was one he left."

Wakka opened his mouth to reply, but she held up a hand and shook her head. "But do not worry about it, Wakka," she said smoothly. "I'm sure I will be dead soon enough, and then I will not have to concern myself."

He frowned as he rose to his feet and began walking next to her back to the village.

"You really think you're heading to your end?" he asked, looking flatteringly sceptical. "Well, sorry to disappoint, Yuna, but I think you're wrong."

"Suit yourself," she said with a shrug. "I've prepared myself either way."

Unsure of how to respond, Wakka just sighed and glanced up to admire the dying rays of light in the sky.

Yuna kept walking, having not noticed that her companion had just stopped dead in his tracks. Seconds later, she realized that she was not hearing his heavy footsteps along with hers and paused to question him.

"Wakka, what is it?"

He was staring up at something in the sky with a sickly expression. "We've lingered here too long," he whispered, his mouth going dry. She glanced up and followed his gaze until her eyes came upon a dark shadow moving amongst the pale clouds.

Her heart contracted painfully.

It was a Yevonite falcon.


	30. Know Thy Enemy

Against his will, Tidus felt his eyes snap open to take in sloped rock ceiling. He slowly manoeuvred himself upright. He had to be careful to move within the confines of the body spell the assassin had placed over him, or else suffer the excruciating punishment.

The young man took in his surroundings, his mind still foggy as his eyes adjusted. It felt like he had only been asleep for three seconds, and the exhaustion that had been hounding him for hours had not abated in the least. They were in a shallow crevice off to the side of the path leading up the mountain, a primitive shelter against the cold wind. It could not be more than seven or eight o'clock in the evening, yet the sky was nearly black with storm clouds.

The two of them, master and reluctant slave, had been travelling at a fast pace for the whole day and only stopped twice. The first time was to allow the assassin time to sleep, and Tidus kept a forced watch. The second time was so that Tidus could rest, however briefly his newfound master allowed him to.

He shivered and pulled the fur-lined cloak even tighter around his shoulders, glancing across the crevice. His captor was crouched against the wall of stone, pale eyes watching him silently.

Kyrida nickered softly at him, and Tidus cautiously inched his way towards her. His laboured movements made the assassin laugh softly.

"It is torturous, is it not?" he questioned maliciously. His voice echoed in a quiet hiss around the rock alcove. "To restrain such a natural thing like walking. Quite like having heavy chains wrapped around you."

"I wouldn't know," Tidus replied coldly, stroking the mare's neck. "I have never been a slave."

The assassin shifted almost invisibly, instantly picking up on the implication. "Are you suggesting that _I_ was?"

"Why else would you treat this so personally? You are exacting vengeance on your wrongdoers through me."

"Such a clever boy. How well you read me."

Tidus shrugged. "That, and the fact that you shared a dream with me when we stopped a while back. I saw things in your mind."

He was on his back so fast he barely registered what was happening before the agonizing charge surged through him, paralysing him. The assassin stood over him and leaned down so close that Tidus could nearly see himself reflected in those eyes.

"You lie," he snarled, his voice more menacing than it had ever been. "That is not possible."

"It-it's true!" Tidus gasped, feeling his limbs seize up. "It must be a . . . a side effect of the spell!"

The blade emerged from the sheath and the tip positioned itself at his throat. "Prove it."

"You, you're name . . . is Tremath," he stammered, starting to feel the spell's hold slip slightly. "You were friends with a girl named Shula. They . . . these men dressed in orange, they . . . forced you to work with other children. They beat you, starved you, and . . . they took Shula away."

His captor gazed down at him incredulously before slowly sliding off him. Tidus nearly sobbed with relief as the pain disappeared. He curled up on his side and hugged himself, trembling. Tremath walked in small circles for a moment, his black cloak billowing out behind him. At last he stopped and sat down stiffly across the crevice, sheathing his dagger.

"They killed her," he said in a barely audible voice. "They killed her because I convinced her to run with me. I dragged her from that place, and they punished her. I kept running. I never stopped."

The delicate quiet was deafening in the wake of Tremath's confession. Tidus knew instinctively that he was not to reply. He could not help it, but a small fragment of pity embedded itself in his heart. He knew it was wrong, and that Tremath deserved no mercy for the deeds he had done, but the soft part of Tidus' soul knew that the assassin had endured horrors no one should ever have to endure.

So he said nothing, and the two men sat in tense silence for a long time.

Kyrida broke the calm by stamping her hoof and swishing her silver tail, indicating a strong desire to leave the cramped shelter. Tremath stood upright so quickly that the horse gave a start.

"Time to go, Slave," he ordered in a monotone voice. Tidus remained seated.

"My name is Tidus," he said impulsively, though without force or malice. The instant those words left his mouth, however, he froze and with a sinking heart awaited the punishment that would no doubt follow. He closed his eyes and braced himself.

Nothing happened.

Cautiously he peered up, only to find that Tremath had not moved. He was not even looking at him. His cold blue eyes were staring into nothingness, and for a moment Tidus wondered if his slip up had even been noticed.

"Time to go," the assassin repeated, his tone unchanging. Tidus stared at him warily, but not another word was spoken.

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Hardly able to see past the haze of exhaustion, Tidus ploughed along behind Kyrida's dim shape. His stiff fingers grasped her silver tail unyieldingly, knowing that should he let go he would fall to his knees and earn a sharp physical reprimand. He had no energy to suffer through another punishment.

His body was numb to the core, hardly registering the hard sharp rocks thudding against his feet as he staggered over them. Frigid winds battered him and howled in his ears, frequently pushing his cloak hood down around his shoulders.

They had been heading uphill on a tiny hidden trail for over an hour since leaving their makeshift camp, and aside from startling a small herd of mountain goats they had not spotted other signs of life. Once, for a moment, Tidus was convinced that he heard the shriek of a falcon and wondered frantically if the Yevonite army had already caught up with them, but then he realized that it was probably just the wind playing tricks on his senses. When he remembered himself and tried to lapse back into warrior mode, Tidus carefully looked around to scan the range for any hint of Ronso inhabitation. But he knew it was a fruitless endeavour. The Ronso were masters of disguise and concealed any trace of their presence with unfailing precision.

He truly was alone.

Tremath had not said a word since they left the crevice, and for that Tidus was thankful. The relationship between the two men had changed bizarrely, and now Tidus was unsure upon which ground he tread. He was careful not to speak, and even more careful to move within the limits of the spell. It had not, however, escaped his notice that the assassin's grip on the spell had loosened even more. His mind was too preoccupied with other matters to maintain a firm hold, and the fact that he was not a natural mage meant that his control was already fleeting.

Tidus, fatigued, starving, cold, blind, and emotionally spent in every way, could only concentrate on the fact that with a little patience, he might be able to break the spell on himself and be free of captivity. He could take Kyrida and ride ahead to rejoin the others, and be reunited with Yuna.

_Yuna_.

He closed his eyes and drowned in thoughts of her, bathing his mind in her glow. More than anything, he wanted just to touch her, even for a moment. Should he die tonight, or tomorrow, or days down the road, all he needed to die in peace was to tell her that she was everything to him. He wanted to hold her in his arms. He wanted to tell her he was sorry for all he had put her through. Even simply seeing her again would make death easier to face.

Breathing deeply, a slow shuddering breath, he made a solemn vow.

'_I _will_ escape. I _will _find a way to see her again, even if it is with my last ounce of strength_.'

Tremath tensed as if something had startled or affronted him and turned around in the saddle to glance at the stumbling young man. Tidus did not notice him.

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He felt it before he saw it; a slow, gradual wave of energy approaching, like a tidal wave only a heartbeat from breaking on the shore. Lifting his head up and pulling his thoughts from dark musings, Tidus had a split second to react as Tremath's body came hurtling at him from the saddle.

Not bothering to wonder if his body could move to safety within the confines of the spell, he instinctively threw himself to the side as the assassin landed with a muted grunt on the trail. Startled, Kyrida reared up and danced sideways off the path, her nostrils flaring.

It was then that Tidus realized that the spell was gone.

Before Tremath could right himself and get his bearings, before Tidus could act with his regained independence, a figure emerged from the shadows of the dying light. A woman's figure, Tidus could see, but no less intimidating than that of a giant. The hair on the back of his neck and his arms stood on end, and he felt the air around him shift with power. Tremath ripped his dagger out from its sheath and lunged at the woman just as she raised her hand. He flew sharply to the side, soaring through the air as if shoved by a giant invisible hand. Open-mouthed, still unable to react in spite of his body's freedom, Tidus watched the assassin land spread-eagled against the wall of stone. He did not slide down, though he appeared to struggle. The mage woman stepped forward, her hand still upright, and glided regally towards the pinned man.

"Lulu," Tidus choked, otherwise incapable of forming words. She did not acknowledge him, her attention focused solely on the assassin.

"You have sinned against many people," Lulu said in a chillingly cold voice, crimson eyes unwavering on his trapped body. "You have committed crimes that no god or spirit could forgive, all in the name of greed. For this, I send you with ill tidings to the next life, where only the worthy may judge your miserable soul."

"Lulu, wait," Tidus cried out, a stab of conscience piercing him. "You can't . . . you can't kill him. Not like this."

'_What the _hell_ are you doing?'_

He wished he could answer himself, and the questioning look on Lulu's face. He wished he could at the very least explain why it was so important to give the assassin a fair chance.

But Lulu, unlike anyone else Tidus could think of, was not a woman who demanded answers from those she trusted. A shrewd, calculated look flickered in her eyes as if she understood his conflicting decision.

"As you wish. How would you like it done?" There was a note of annoyance in her voice, a sharp demand that made him forget himself momentarily.

"I . . . I don't know. I just don't think we should kill him when he is helpless and, at the moment, innocent of charges against us. Like you said, Lulu, only the gods and spirits can judge him when his time comes. But . . . we shouldn't be the ones to decide when that happens. Am I making any sense?" he asked, frowning at himself and wishing he possessed the brains to tell himself when to shut up.

"Yes," the mage replied smoothly. "Unfortunately you and Auron have the same heart. You both have a foolish compassion for murderous criminals that can spring up at the most inopportune times."

He couldn't quite tell, but for a moment she almost sounded like she spoke with fondness rather than irritation.

Lulu turned to the motionless assassin, who watched this exchange with wide yet unreadable eyes. Her expression hardened once more.

"Luckily for you," she said menacingly, "some people in this world have a streak of decency. And though you are the last human I can think of who is deserving of mercy, I will not kill you. But I_ will_ hurt you. Severely."

And with that, she hurled him across the path and made him smash into the opposite rock wall, instantly knocking him out cold and dually breaking a few bones.

"Pathetic," Lulu said, staring contemptuously at Tremath's prostrate form. "I had been expecting more of a resistance."

Tidus, realizing that it was all over, dashed clumsily towards her and grabbed her hands in his.

"I am so glad to see you," he said fervently. "I was beginning to despair. Yuna, is she . . . well, _how_ is she?"

If Lulu was surprised at his hold on her, she did not reveal it. Her eyes held his firmly. "I would not know. She was unconscious when I left the Ronso village to come find you."

Tidus deflated and slowly released her, his face falling. "I see," he said quietly, dropping his gaze. "I-I had hoped . . ."

"That she would come running after you? That she would forget the way you left her?" his companion supplied flatly. He winced as if he had been physically struck.

"Lulu, please, you know that I-"

"-Was under a mind spell, and a body binding spell, yes, I do know," she cut in, waving her hand dismissively. "But when you left, most of the responsibility lands on you. The assassin had only minimal hold on you at the time. The seed of doubt had been planted, and you watered it and nursed it to life with your own misgivings and secret fears. You will have to come to terms with that, and pray that Yuna forgives you for harbouring so much uncertainty. Of all people, she needs your strength the most. If you forget that, we could all suffer for it. Do you understand?"

Tidus swallowed thickly and nodded, still looking at the ground. Lulu was remarkably hard to look at when one was struggling with guilt. "Lulu . . . do you think she will forgive me?"

"Yes," the priestess replied calmly. "Whether instantaneously or with time, I cannot say. But I know Yuna's type. She loves you too much to hold you away in anger."

For some strange, obscure reason that Tidus would spend many hours puzzling over later, it was those very words that got to him and broke down the last pillar of his reserve.

He released a short, strangled sob and sank to his knees, feeling hot unfamiliar tears burn his eyes. His head fell forward and came to rest against the front of Lulu's dress. His shoulders shook violently and he threw his arms around her legs, unaware of the way she stiffened in surprise.

Slowly, very slowly, her pale hand came down to rest in his hair, and Tidus wept for the first time in years as brokenly and tiredly as any defeated child. And he was _so _tired.

Lulu did not say anything, and Tidus was grateful for her insight. He could not bear to hear anything else for the moment. It would have been too much, and all he wanted to do was empty himself of tears.

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"Auron! Sir Auron!"

Yuna caught him just as he was walking towards the dining cave. The older man stopped short as her hand latched onto his arm, whirling him around.

"Yuna, what-"

"The Yevonites! They're here!" she gasped, cutting him off. Wakka arrived behind her, pale beneath his tropical Besaidian tan. A flicker of surprise and alarm passed through Auron, though his posture and expression remained unchanged. His thoughts immediately flew to Lulu and Tidus, who were somewhere between the army and the village.

"How much time do we have?" he asked as Kimahri came to stand by him.

"Not long," Wakka answered, gesturing up. The guardian glanced towards the sky and saw the distinct outspread wings of a Yevonite falcon wheeling overhead.

"Kimahri, how fast can your tribe cover its tracks?" he asked the Ronso chieftain. Kimahri's golden eyes watched the bird of prey with a fierce intensity.

"Less than one hour," he replied gruffly, his tail sweeping back and forward thoughtfully. "If starting now."

"Warn your people," Auron instructed, speaking to the chief as though they were equal in status. "The Yevonite Army will show the Ronso no mercy if they are caught in the crossfire."

"There are secret caves where Ronso go in time of danger," Kimahri said calmly. "Never used before. Tonight will be first time."

Auron nodded and briefly patted his shoulder. "Let us hope the caves won't fail you."

Kimahri sprinted forward and went off to tell his clansmen of the danger. His hackles were beginning to stand up, and Yuna thought he was gripping his lancet handle rather tightly.

"Wakka, find Rikku and tell her to be ready to leave at once. Yuna, go back to our cave and see if we are forgetting anything. I'm going to help Kimahri spread the word and clean up the village. We will meet at the northwest corner of the town," Auron said hurriedly, beginning to head off after Kimahri. Wakka nodded and quickly disappeared from sight to locate Rikku.

"But, Sir Auron . . . what about . . ."

"Yuna, Lulu and Tidus can take care of themselves. They know where to go. I promise you that they will meet with us soon," the older guardian said with forced patience, trying not to stare too deeply into the worried depths of her eyes.

He was afraid of seeing his own fears reflected in them.


	31. Fighting the Current

In the time it took for Tidus to compose himself, Lulu kept an eye on their surroundings. Her ears were open to any suspicious sound that assailed them, and her scarlet eyes never rested on the same location for too long. Still, she was mindful of the young man's suffering, and allowed him his time to weep while keeping a comforting hand busy stroking his hair.

When at last her companion's sobs quieted, she watched as he shakily rose to his feet. Wiping his nose and rubbing his eyes dry, Tidus took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry," he told her, his voice still thick with tears. "I didn't mean to break down like that."

She nodded understandingly and tightened his cloak around his broad shoulders. "We should leave. That falcon has been circling us for quite sometime."

Alarm quickly replaced the despondent look on his face. His eyes shot upward to the sky, where, sure enough, the dark silhouette of a watchful bird of prey steadily wheeled overhead. In the dying light, it was hardly discernable among the clouds.

"Why didn't you say anything?" he demanded of her, instinctively glancing over his shoulder as if expecting to see the crimson clad ranks standing in wait behind him.

She shrugged fluidly, tossing her black braids over her shoulder. "You needed a moment to grieve. I had to make sure you got it out of your system in time to think clearly when the danger comes."

Tidus couldn't decide if he wanted to throttle or thank her for her insight. "I'll tie up the assassin. The army can deal with him."

Moving to grab some rope from one of Kyrida's saddlebags, he began calculating an escape route. They were in a tight, shallow chasm with only one exit that led away from the approaching army. Fortunately, they would be hampered by the narrowness of the passageway, and they would only be able to move at least five or six abreast. The path steeped upwards sharply not too far ahead, and beyond that, Tidus could only speculate what he and Lulu would find.

Securing the assassin's limp body against a rock, sheltered from any wind that might spring up, Tidus then made sure to remove the man's weapons. The curved daggers felt unpleasant in his hands. Hesitating, he toyed with the idea of simply burying them out of sight somewhere. But they were good blades, and Lulu could probably find a much better use for them.

"Here," he said, handing them to her. She regarded them critically. "You might need more than magic to defend yourself in the future."

"Doubtful," she sniffed, though she tucked them into her belt anyway. "But I'm certain they'll come in handy."

Checking the bounty hunter one last time to make sure he was clean of any other hidden weapons, Tidus mounted Kyrida and pulled the mage up behind him. They set off up the path without another word, though Tidus was acutely aware of the fact that Lulu was still watching the sky. The falcon had disappeared, most likely gone off to alert its master of their position.

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Yuna was amazed to find the Ronso village already half gone by the time she was done packing the group's belongings. The clan milled around grimly, silent and focused on the task at hand. She caught up with Kimahri and Auron, who were busy dismantling one of the huts. Although the Ronso lived mainly in the caves dotting the mountain, many huts and tents had to be erected in order to accommodate everyone comfortably.

"What can I do to help?" she questioned, hastily rushing to help Auron as he struggled with one of the long wooden poles.

"We haven't got much time," her guardian grunted, though he looked distinctly grateful for her aid. "Just go and meet the others where I told you. Kimahri and I will be there shortly."

Reluctantly she left them and went to the northwest corner of the village, where Wakka and Rikku were already waiting. Rikku was admiring a beautifully crafted bow that the tribe's weapon maker had fashioned for her after she won a shooting match against some of the younger warriors. A quiver of arrows was already strapped to her back. Wakka was standing nervously in front of five massive Ronso horses, the reins held tightly in his hand and looking quite unsure of himself in their presence. The horses stood passively, occasionally dipping their heads to lip at some brittle patches of grass, seemingly indifferent to the bags packed along their saddles. Yuna stroked one on the neck absently, watching the village slowly begin to disappear. The Ronso were extremely efficient at covering their tracks. No wonder their existence was virtually a myth nowadays.

Minutes later, Kimahri and Auron came into sight with identical grim expressions.

Kimahri helped Yuna scale the giant horse, while Wakka assisted Rikku, and Auron climbed up swiftly on his own. When everyone was ready to go, Auron kicked his mount into an immediate sprint without a word, and the others followed. Kimahri threw one last look at his village, pensive and unsure, before following behind.

Thundering down the narrow path that led away from the village and down the other side of the mountain, Yuna sucked in a quick breath and glanced over her shoulder at the mist-shrouded peaks of the Gagazet Range.

"Don't worry, Yunie!" Rikku called back to her, breathless from the fast-paced charge down the trail. "They'll be all right. If anyone can handle the Yevonites, it's those two."

Reassured but still worried, Yuna smiled back.

_Bring him back, Lulu,_ she pleaded silently. _Be safe, and bring him back to me._

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Tidus considered himself to be a spry, alert kind of man, and very little managed to startle or surprise him. But while his thoughts were deeply immersed with planning how to avoid the Yevonite Army, which was surely already in the Range, and flickering images of Yuna, he was completely unprepared for the explosion of talons and feathers in his face.

Crying out with shock, he brought his arms up impulsively to shield his eyes from the falcon that had darted from the sky aimed right for his head. Lulu gasped and nearly fell backwards off Kyrida, who balked at the sensation of her master's sudden distress.

The temple had banned the army's use attack falcons for several years, as they were seen as unnecessary and primitive means of slowing down an enemy target. Yet, Tidus numbly registered that he was indeed fending off such a bird, and did not have time to ponder it. An attack falcon meant that troops were very, _very_ close by.

"Get away!" he grunted, swatting at the falcon when he felt it safe to move his arms away from his head.

Lulu's fingertips hummed with a fire spell, ready and willing to use it to send the bird away, but it was too close to Tidus and the risk of hitting him instead was too great. Instead, the mage leaned forward and aided her friend in batting it away.

It was futile. Attack falcons were rarely diverted from the task of distracting their targets.

Guarding his face with one arm, Tidus used his free hand to pick up Kyrida's reins yet again and urged the horse into a gallop. Knowing he would not be likely to outdistance a falcon, known for speed, he could at least hope to put a gap between them and the oncoming soldiers.

"Behind us!" Lulu shouted, struggling to be heard above the fluttering wings and piercing shriek of the raptor bird. "The army is coming!"

Chancing a quick look over his shoulder, Tidus could have sworn he heard more horses somewhere at their back. The hoof beats sounded fast and frantic; no doubt the soldiers followed the falcon's shrill cries echoing throughout the passage.

Panic gripped his heart. Without thinking, he reached back and unsheathed the assassin's dagger from Lulu's belt and swiped at the bird, effectively slashing a wound across its breast. The falcon released a screech of pain and swooped away, blood darkening its tawny plumage. Knowing that it was useless to try and be silent, Tidus rammed his heels into Kyrida's sides and forced her into an all out gallop up the trail.

"Lulu, can you see them?" he panted, realizing only then that there was blood all over his face. The cold wind seemed to burn the multitude of scratches and cuts in his flesh, and he could barely see out of his left eye, where the blood was thick and slow.

"Not yet, but they are getting closer," his companion replied through gritted teeth. "Let me see if I can slow them down.

She thought about setting up a wall of fire, but there was nothing in the stony pass to ignite, and the flames would sizzle out almost immediately. A patch of ice would certainly delay them, but not long enough to make a difference. She narrowed her eyes. A real diversion was needed, and quickly.

Her gaze lifted sharply to the rock walls around them, scanning them for any kind of inspiration. Abruptly she smirked with triumph; the loose shale and rubble collected above the canyon would do nicely.

A quick and powerful thunder spell shot out of her palm and squarely hit one of the support boulders that was holding back a giant mound of dirt and stone from spilling down. It shuddered at the impact and then slowly groaned out of place, pitching forward into the shallow ravine right behind them. The debris quickly followed, cascading down like a tidal wave crashing on the shore. Kyrida whinnied fearfully at the roar of the avalanche behind her and managed to increase her pace until she was positively soaring.

Lulu repeated the same spell on the other side of the rift, causing one more landslide to add onto the previous one. Then, for extra measure, she cast a long sheet of ice onto the rocky floor beyond the rubble that would certainly do its part to slow down the soldiers. She wished the two of them could have made a stand, even for a moment. The desire to kill was still pounding in her veins, making her feel dangerous and powerful. She wanted to destroy the army one man at a time, even if she had to go down in a bloody death to accomplish it.

But the time and chance for such a thing would come later.

She was shaken out of her musings when a deafening rumble sounded behind her. Her whipped around just as Tidus turned the horse to see what was happening.

"SHIT," he cried, his eyes widening.

A massive water spell was currently washing the collapsed shale right towards them.

The army also had a mage handy.

"Tidus, MOVE!" Lulu ordered sharply, slapping Kyrida's flank. The horse bolted, reacting purely on instinct. She went out at a full gallop, trying to outrun the wall of water and rubble rushing behind them.

Tidus knew it was too late even before the waves crashed into them, swallowing them and throwing them apart. Kyrida neighed stridently before being sucked under the water, and he felt Lulu being wrenched away from him. He reached out blindly, mechanically, but his hand did not find her.

Confusion, and a strange quiet evaded his senses, a quiet that should not have existed in such a tumultuous element. He felt the water spell suddenly go in reverse, or at least he thought he did (he really couldn't tell which direction he was going in), and had the distinct impression that he was being pulled backwards; back towards the soldiers who were no doubt waiting somewhere around the corner.

Desperation then, sudden and overwhelming. _No._ It was _not_ going to end this way.

Somehow he manoeuvred himself upright, for he had been drifting upside down, and fought wildly to find some kind of handhold, something to grab onto.

His heels struck solid ground and he furiously dug them in, battling a strong current and rolling debris.

He needed to breathe. But not yet. _Not yet_.

Lulu, where was she? Did the soldiers grab her? What would they do to her, if he wasn't there to stop them?

She would want him to escape, wouldn't she? She would want him to find his way back to Yuna and continue the pilgrimage to Bevelle. He was most certain of that.

But could he do that to her? Abandon her? Could he do that to Sir Auron?

Furiously he kept his balance, barely managing to dodge the rubble assailing him. He couldn't see anything.

He didn't see Kyrida's struggling body until it slammed into him, ripping him from his foothold and sending him flying through the water with the current. Intuitively he gripped the horse's mane and held on, and he sensed her reeling around trying to find him in the chaos. He wished numbly that she would be calm, but he really could not blame her for her panic.

Her hoofs struck the stone floor and she kicked upwards towards the roiling surface of the magic river, carrying her master with her. He sucked in a quick breath as a icy wind struck his head, and he draped his arm across Kyrida's back. He needed to climb on top of her again, needed something solid. His sword felt very heavy.

No point in playing it quiet. "LULU!" he yelled, blinking muddy water from his eyes. His cuts were searing. "LULU!"

Where the hell was she? She probably would not even be able to hear him above the crash and hiss of the water. The soldiers must have grabbed her.

Abruptly the fear was gone, replaced by hot, sickening rage that wanted only to kill and hurt and destroy. Tidus drew his azure blade and let the current carry him on Kyrida's back towards the awaiting army and their mage.

He was _not_ going to let another friend die. Not for him, not for Sin, not for any damn reason ever again. If he was going to die rescuing Lulu, then so be it. He had come this far, sacrificed everything, learned more than he ever thought he would, and if it came to this final showdown, he was ready for it.

Sometimes, in the heat of anger and purpose, life seems very inconsequential next to the task that needs to be done. Tidus was a warrior. He understood it in a moment of such clarity that he was nearly blindsided by it.

Calmer now that her master was on her and that she could breathe, Kyrida swam with the raging current and kept her head above the surface, kicking powerfully to stay upright. She could sense his anger, his determination, and memories of old battles and blood on her hooves fuelled her onward. This was the old days all over again, the days of fire and corpse covered fields, nights burning with drumbeats and screams. She was a warhorse, and suddenly nothing else mattered but to go where her master was guiding her.

As rapidly as the flood started, it suddenly slowed and then seemed to evaporate from underneath them. Tidus saw with strange serenity the row of scarlet jackets getting closer as the last flow of water brought him forward before bringing him to a full stop no more than ten feet away from them. Two of the men held Lulu by the arms between them; she looked seconds away from unleashing her magical fury on the lot of them. Taking in a quick head count, Tidus guessed that there were only about twenty men present, a small platoon sent out to follow the falcon that had been circling above them not long ago. He smirked inwardly. Twenty men were about to die.

"Sir Tidus, at last we meet," a warm, disturbingly pleasant voice said from behind the front rank. A man dressed in a flamboyant green, purple, and white robe stepped forward. His shoulder length brown hair was tied back in a horsetail. He had deep blue eyes that were even darker than Tidus'. "It is an honour to meet Lady Yuna's now famous accomplice. My name is Isaaru."

"I don't keep a tally on the men I've killed," Tidus snarled, urging Kyrida forward at a slow, threatening pace. Her ears were flat against her head, sensing the tension building in the pass.

Isaaru looked far too kind for a man working with the army, although in retrospect he was probably unaware of the temple's true nature. Perhaps he thought Tidus was the real criminal.

The mage bowed his head as if acknowledging the possibility of being killed right then and there. "Fair enough," he said politely. "I suppose I should turn command over to General Watis. I've done my part already."

A wide, stocky man stepped forward, eyeing Tidus as if he were nothing more than a bread-stealing thief in the streets. "Where's the Summoner's daughter?" he barked, his meaty hand resting on the hilt of his sword. The rest of the men began to fan out obviously intending to surround Tidus. He knew he should back up and keep them all in his sights, but he did not fear them like he was supposed to. He let them close in. Kyrida would warn him if one got too close.

"We both know that I'm not going to answer that, General," he replied coolly, catching Lulu's eyes. "And I suggest you let my friend go."

Watis rumbled with laughter, swaggering over to Lulu. She regarded him disdainfully as he eyed her up and down appreciatively. "But she's such a pretty thing. I'm thinking my boys could have some fun with her before we slit her heathen throat," he said in an oily voice. Isaaru looked somewhat disapprovingly at the General, but held his tongue.

Tidus was glad to see that Lulu looked more revolted at the insinuation rather than afraid. He doubted he would have been able to handle her fear.

"Have fun trying," he snorted, careful to keep his voice nonchalant. "She's only one of the most powerful black mages in the land."

"Not in our hands, she isn't," Watis contradicted, wagging a finger at Tidus as if he were a mere child. "You see those chains?" he asked, pointing at her wrists. "Those are anti-magic bonds. They block any spell she has a mind to use against us, and the only way to get them off is with this here key."

He pulled a bronze key dangling from a leather thong out from his coat pocket and dangled it mockingly in Lulu's face. She maintained a bored look, but Tidus saw a flicker of something unplanned and nameless pass through her eyes.

His sword was halfway out of its scabbard when he felt an arrow suddenly embed itself in his shoulder. He dropped from Kyrida's saddle, too shocked even to grunt, and landed with a dull thud on the wet ground littered with rubble. As the Yevonite soldiers rushed forward to grab him, he could have laughed at his sheer idiocy. For all his years as a warrior in training, he had forgotten to simply look up and make sure there were no archers lining the walls of the ravine.

He was hauled back up to his feet, amazed at how subtle the ache from the arrow wound was in his flesh, and watched with a sort of detached feeling as Watis approached him.

"Now," the general said in a much more business-like voice, "you are going to tell us exactly where to find Lady Yuna."


	32. I know you're going to hate me for this

I'm really sorry, you guys. Wow. I wish I could say something else.

The truth is that my inspiration for _Children of Light_ and _Beneath the Mask_ has completely dried up. Neither has, or ever had, a real clear plot direction. I have spent over a year trying to save them, because they are both really dear to me, but I am coming up with nothing each time. I've invested a lot of heart into these stories, even though I never knew exactly where they would end or how. I won't bore you all with a list of excuses as to why I'm so stuck, because frankly I don't think I have any.

I know this sounds pathetic and obsessive of me, but I have spent the last few hours just lying awake in bed pondering how on earth I was going to break this news to you. Just take this a proof that my readers do mean a lot to me, and I hate that I have to disappoint them like this. I know how aggravating it is when one of my favourite authors suddenly drops a story that I like, and I never thought I'd end up doing the same thing to you guys. It sucks, and all I can do is say how sorry I am, and how hard it is for me to write this.

That's not to say I'm leaving fanfiction. Au contraire! I do have ideas for other stories, other FFX ones and maybe somewhere down the road a Harry Potter fic. But I can't allow myself to publish anything without making it clear to you all that I am 99 certain that COL and BTM are to remain incomplete. I wish I could say that this leaves room for a chance that I will pick them up again somewhere down the road, but my gut feeling is that I won't. I will leave them posted so that whomever chooses to can still read them from time to time. Someday, if and when I post new stories (we can be confident that it will happen at some point), I promise to put more thought into them and make them worth reading.

In closing, I offer my deepest apologies, and I hope that you will understand.

Sincerely,

Lucifer's Garden


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